Beautiful Boy (2018)

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Movie
German title Beautiful boy
Original title Beautiful boy
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2018
length 121 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
JMK 14
Rod
Director Felix Van Groeningen
script Luke Davies ,
Felix Van Groeningen
production Dede Gardner ,
Jeremy Kleiner ,
Brad Pitt
camera Ruben Impens
cut Nico Leunen
occupation
synchronization

Beautiful Boy is an American drama film directed by Felix Van Groeningen that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2018 and was released in US cinemas on October 12, 2018. The film is based on the one hand on the memoirs of David Sheff and on the other hand on those of his son Nic.

action

David Sheff is a lovable middle-class father. He and his wife Vicki seem to have done everything right for their family. When his son Nic becomes addicted to methamphetamine, David can hardly believe it. He tries by all means to get his son back, but Nic, who used to be a thoughtful, beautiful boy, cannot get off drugs.

Even after Nic spent 26 weeks on a detox program instead of going to the college he applied for, Nic disappears. David is told that relapse is part of his recovery.

production

Literary template and background

The film is based on the one hand on the memoirs by David Sheff entitled Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction and on the other hand on the memoirs entitled Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by his son Nic Sheff .

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70,237 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2017 , more than 10,000 of them from abuse of psychostimulants such as crystal meth . This means that the number of drug deaths in the USA is at an all-time high and, when converted to the population figures, is more than 14 times as high as in Germany.

Bar, composition and film title

The director is Felix Van Groeningen after the adaptation of Sheff's autobiographical novel Beautiful Boy had become quiet in recent years. "One difficulty with the adaptation was to combine the different memories of father and son in such a way that they merge into a coherent whole and do not create the feeling that the film is constantly jumping back and forth between two perspectives." this problem by telling parts of the story from the father's point of view only, while others only from the son's point of view. Original pieces of music from the 1990s, which were equally important for father and son, build an emotional bridge, according to Kinofenster.de . The narrative technique of Beautiful Boy becomes a multi-layered, structured assembly of memorabilia, with the father telling his experiences in flashbacks that are not always chronological, while the son remains in the respective presence of the narrative. Tim Gray from Variety explains that these leaps in time tell the story of the film non-linearly. Van Groeningen thinks this shows how the father's memory works.

The German Film and Media Assessment gave the film the rating of particularly valuable . The jury's statement says: “ Beautiful Boy is no ordinary, linearly structured narrative film. Director Felix Van Groeningen relies on different temporal levels. In retrospect, he lets family history flow into the action again and again and so perfectly that the jury was amazed in the discussion how deeply they could be involved in the family setting without ever feeling confused by leaps in time. With this perfection, van Groeningen's non-linear narrative creates such incredibly deep impressions that the jury felt addressed on an almost physical level. "

Gaby Sikorski from the Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater explains that the numerous flashbacks served to depict David's emotional state even more intensely and to make the differences between yesterday and today more extreme: “The emaciated, neglected boy of today stands in stark contrast to the happy child who he once was. ”Van Groeningen mainly tells from the perspective of his father, Sikorski continues. John Lennon's song Beautiful Boy , which he wrote for his son Sean and gave the film its title, stands for the past, the seemingly ideal world in which father and son were close, but also for the vague hope that maybe one day everything will be fine again. The use of music generally plays a major role, says Sikorski: “The music doesn't create feelings here, it only supports the mood and in between acts like an emotional drainage that creates relief. That way the story remains bearable. "

Cast and filming

Timothée Chalamet at the premiere for the film in Toronto

Steve Carell took on the role of David Sheff, Timothée Chalamet that of his adult son Nic. In his younger years, Nic is played by Jack Dylan Grazer (when he was 12), Zachary Rifkin (when he was 8) and Kue Lawrence (when he was four and six). Amy Ryan played Vicki Sheff and Maura Tierney played Karen Barbour. Kaitlyn Dever and Andre Royo can also be seen in other roles.

Filming began on March 27, 2017, ended in May 2017, and took place in and around Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Film music and publication

First scenes from the film were released by Amazon Studios in May 2018. These were underlaid with the song You by Alex Condliffe and Lamb Hands . A first trailer followed at the end of June 2018. The film was released in US cinemas on October 12, 2018, after opening the Chicago International Film Festival on October 10, 2018 . The film had its world premiere on September 7, 2018 at the Toronto International Film Festival . Also in September it was presented at the Festival Internacional de Cine de San Sebastián and at the Filmkunstmesse Leipzig before it was released in German and Swiss cinemas on January 24, 2019. It was shown at the Zurich Film Festival in autumn 2018 . At the same time as the cinema release in the USA, Warner Bros. Records released the soundtrack for the film as a download.

From the German Film and Media Review was Beautiful Boy with the predicate particularly valuable provided. The reasoning says that the film dares to really use music and sound, and the title already indicates that Beautiful Boy is also a lullaby from the pen of John Lennon . Regarding the important role of music in the film, it says: “Regardless of whether it is powerful rock sounds or gentle, classical pieces, music is omnipresent in Beautiful Boy without ever being disturbing. Together with sometimes hyper-aesthetic images, it exerts an unbelievable pull, but at the same time always sends liberating signals when dramaturgically necessary - that is very high cinema art. "

reception

Age rating

In the USA, the film received an R rating from the MPAA , which corresponds to a rating of 17 and over. In Germany it was approved by the FSK from the age of 12, but allowed from the age of 6 if accompanied by the parents. The statement of reasons for the release states: “The story unfolds from the father's perspective and is mostly told calmly and sensitively, with the problem of addiction being depicted emphatically and sometimes drastically. Due to their intensity, individual dramatic scenes can emotionally overwhelm children under the age of 12 as they cannot yet adequately classify the events. "

Reviews

Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter says that the film is on interessantesten if he simply offers the opportunity Timothée Chalamet watch. The Nic played by him is a lovable child in every way, and one would never suspect that a demon was hiding in him, who regularly takes control of the slim body.

Gaby Sikorski from the Gilde deutscher Filmkunsttheater explains that Beautiful Boy is a father-son story in which the past is of great importance: “The memory that he and Nic were the greatest team of all time gives David hope. The pain that everything turned out differently and the fear of losing the boy for good almost drive him crazy. ”Timothée Chalamet played Nic as if his life depended on it, so Sikorski continued, changing moods within seconds , whisper, babble, sob and play the physical and mental changes of the addict with an almost ghostly presence and without exaggerating: “His performance outshines the convincing game of Steve Carrell as well as that of Maura Tierney as Karen, David's second wife, and Amy Ryan as Nic's mother and David's ex-wife. "

Kai Mihm from epd Film remarks that, unlike many drug stories, Beautiful Boy does not play in an urban slum, but in an affluent ghetto according to the real story, and Nic is a likeable high-flyer who is actually open to any college, but still takes drugs to Everyday pressures ”. Anyone wondering what pressure has reached the crucial point in history, because as much as an outsider searches for rational deductions, they often do not exist in drug addiction. The decision to completely ignore the parents' social and professional backgrounds is also wise, says Mihm. All you get to know is that David works as a freelance journalist for the New York Times and that stepmother Karen is an artist. Mihm sums it up: “The effort to achieve balance and objectivity, to take a sober look at dealing with addiction, deprives the film of a large part of its emotional power. Everything remains tasteful, the people are attractive and their actions are mostly academic. For his extreme subject, Beautiful Boy seems all too collected, almost aloof, even in exceptional emotional situations. "

Use in school lessons

In January 2018, Beautiful Boy was presented by kinofenster.de as “Film of the Month”. In addition, the online portal offers material on the film for lessons from the 8th grade and recommends it for the subjects English, German , social studies , ethics, art and biology. Some of the material is offered in English.

Awards (selection)

At the upcoming Academy Awards 2019 , Treasure from the film is on a shortlist in the Best Song category . The following is a selection of awards and nominations:

Adelaide Film Festival 2018

British Academy Film Awards 2019

Chicago International Film Festival 2018

  • Received the Founder's Award

Festival Internacional de Cine de San Sebastián 2018

  • Nomination for the Golden Shell (Felix Van Groeningen)

Golden Globe Awards 2019

Hollywood Film Awards 2018

  • Award as Best Supporting Actor (Timothée Chalamet)

Palm Springs International Film Festival 2019

  • Received the Spotlight Award (Timothée Chalamet)

Satellite Awards 2018

  • Nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Timothée Chalamet)

Screen Actors Guild Awards 2019

Toronto International Film Festival 2018

  • Nomination for the People's Choice Award (Felix Van Groeningen)

synchronization

The German synchronization was created from the dialogue director of Monica Bielstein on behalf of TaunusFilm Synchron GmbH, Berlin.

actor Voice actor role
Steve Carell Uwe Büschken David Sheff
Timothée Chalamet Marco Eßer Nic Sheff
Maura Tierney Elisabeth Günther Karen Barbour
Oakley Bull Mina Chamlali Daisy Sheff
Amy Forsyth Lydia Morgenstern Diane
Timothy Hutton Frank Röth Dr. Brown
Christian Convery Elias Chamlali Jasper Sheff
Stefanie Scott Amelie Plaas-Link Julia
Marypat Farrell Denise Gorzelanny Julia's mother
Kaitlyn Dever Victoria Frenz Lauren
Andre Royo Jaron Lowenberg Spencer
Amy Ryan Silke Matthias Vicki Sheff
Jack Dylan Grazer Arthur W. May Nic Sheff (12 years)
Kue Lawrence Nic Sheff (4 & 6 years)

Web links

Commons : Beautiful Boy  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Release certificate for Beautiful Boy . Voluntary self-regulation of the film industry (PDF; test number: 185216 / K). Template: FSK / maintenance / type not set and Par. 1 longer than 4 characters
  2. ↑ Age rating for Beautiful Boy . Youth Media Commission .
  3. ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/beautiful-boy-review-1141182
  4. ↑ a b Olivia Ovenden: Watch The Heart-Breaking Teaser For Timothée Chalamet And Steve Carrell's 'Beautiful Boy'. In: Esquire, May 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ a b c https://www.kinofenster.de/filme/aktueller-film-des-monats/kf1901-beautiful-boy-film/
  6. ^ Justin Kroll: Felix van Groeningen to Direct 'Beautiful Boy' for New Regency and Plan B. In: Variety, September 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ Felix Van Groeningen. In: filmstarts.de. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  8. ↑ https://variety.com/2018/film/columns/beautiful-boy-editing-timothee-chalamet-1203029317/
  9. ↑ Beautiful Boy. Jury reasoning: Predicate particularly valuable. In: German film and media evaluation. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ a b https://www.programmkino.de/content/Filmkritiken/beautiful-boy/
  11. ↑ http://www.awardscircuit.com/2018/04/02/oscar-circuit-beautiful-boy-and-if-beale-street-could-talk-attached-to-gold-magnets-gardener-and-kleiner /
  12. ↑ 'Beautiful Boy': Felix van Groeningen start met opnames van zijn eerste Amerikaanse film. In: focus.knack.be, February 7, 2017.
  13. ↑ Alisa Scerrato: Spotted: Steve Carell shooting 'Beautiful Boy' in the Upper Haight. In: San Francisco Chronicle, May 12, 2017.
  14. ↑ Kelsey Garcia: Here's the Emotionally Gutting Song That Plays During the Beautiful Boy Trailer. In: popsugar.co.uk, May 25, 2018.
  15. ↑ Daniel Krüger: "Beautiful Boy" trailer: This meth drama wants a lot of Oscars and your tears. In: Musikexpress, June 28, 2018.
  16. ↑ https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/22069-2/
  17. ↑ https://variety.com/2018/film/festivals/san-sebastian-mendoza-groeningen-garrel-1202908641/
  18. ↑ Beautiful Boy. In: filmkunstmesse.de. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  19. ↑ Start dates Germany In: insidekino.com. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  20. ↑ https://outnow.ch/Movies/News/2018/10/11/Clip-zu-Beautiful-Boy-mit-Timothee-Chalamet-und-Steve-Carell
  21. ↑ Further Gala Premieres at ZFF. In: zff.com, September 5, 2018.
  22. ↑ http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/10/11/beautiful-boy-soundtrack-details/
  23. ↑ Beautiful Boy. In: fbw-filmbeval.com . German film and media rating. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  24. ↑ Beautiful Boy. In: comingsoon.net. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  25. ^ Reason for approval for Beautiful Boy In: Voluntary Self-Control of the Film Industry. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  26. ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/beautiful-boy-review-1141182
  27. ↑ http://www.epd-film.de/filmkritiken/beautiful-boy
  28. ↑ Film of the month January 2019: Beautiful Boy. In: kinofenster.de. Accessed February 21, 2019 (PDF; 2.4 MB)
  29. ↑ Academy Unveils 2019 Oscar Shortlists. In: The Hollywood Reporter, December 17, 2018.
  30. ↑ https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/2018/09/2018-adelaide-film-festival-full-program-launch/
  31. ^ Cinema Chicago: Awards Announced for 54th Chicago International Film Festival. In: chicagofilmfestival.com. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  32. ↑ Golden Globes: List of Nominees. In: The Hollywood Reporter, December 6, 2018.
  33. ↑ https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Timothe-Chalamet-and-Rachel-Weisz-to-be-Honored-at-the-HOLLYWOOD-FILM-AWARDS-20181011
  34. ^ Karen M. Peterson: International Press Academy Announces Nominees for 23rd Annual Satellite Awards. In. 29th November 2018.
  35. ↑ Paul Sheehan: 2019 SAG Awards nominations: Full list of Screen Actors Guild Awards nominees. In: goldderby.com, December 12, 2018.