Beautiful Boy is a 2018 biographical drama starring Timothée Chalamet and Steve Carell. The film follows the life of teenager Nic Sheff as he battles with drug addiction, consequently causing a rift in his relationship with his father, David Sheff. This film is based on the true story of Nicholas Sheff as written by his father in the memoir, Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction.

 

Although the film itself did not initially perform well, grossing $9 million below the budget of $25 million, Chalamet and Carell’s performances were highly commended. Timothée had the challenging responsibility of playing not a character, but a real person. Watching the movie, I was highly impressed with the quality of his acting. He was able to show the complex emotions that come with being not only a human but also a drug addict: guilt, relief, regret, panic, and joy, often multiple at the same time. Throughout the film, his facial expressions and tone of voice were so meticulously curated that it was clear to understand the rationale behind his Golden Globes, SAG Award, and Critics’ Choice nominations. 

 

Matching Chalamet’s skill in a vastly different way, Steve Carell expertly handled the role of a concerned father, disappointed by his helplessness toward his son’s addiction. Carell captured the distinctive feeling that so many parents can relate to: being unable to support a struggling child. It surprised me to see Carell taking on such a contrasting role from his usual lighthearted, comedic characters. Steve’s ability to show a drug addiction from the perspective of loved ones exposed an underrepresented side of addiction. He was able to execute a role that enlightened the audience of the effect of drugs on just the victim, but also the victim’s family.

 

In addition to the actors’ performances, Felix van Groeningen, Luke Davies, and numerous contributors did a fantastic job of taking a real-life story and capturing its intense emotions on the cinematic screen. One of the most impactful sequences in the movie for me was when Nic came back to ask David for money in the diner. Chalamet’s excellent portrayal of the psychological terror that comes with drug addiction combined with the intentional flashbacks to Nic’s innocent youth in the same diner highlight how drastically drugs can change lives and people. Beautiful Boy is one of my favorite films, as it does a superb job of exposing the world to the reality of drug addiction and the nuanced struggles that come with it. 

 

written by Neeha Mikkilineni

edited by Edmund Garcia

Gleiberman, Owen. “Film Review: ‘Beautiful Boy’.” Variety, Variety, 10 Oct. 2018, variety.com/2018/film/reviews/beautiful-boy-review-timothee-chalamet-1202932186/#!