Director Felix Van Groeningen (Broken Circle Breakdown) adapts two memoirs (from real-life father and son David and Nic Sheff) into his first American film "Beautiful Boy."
David (Steve Carell) lives with son Nic (an excellent Timothee Chalamet), and second wife Karen (Maura Tierney) in their comfortable San Francisco home. Major problems arise when Nic becomes addicted to Methamphetamine. The movie then, for the duration of its 112 or so minutes, goes back and forth between Nic's continuous cycle of relapse and recovery.
Any doubts that Chalamet's breakthrough performance in "Call Me By Your Name" would be a one-time deal are easily vanquished by his passionate take here of Nic. Chalamet is astonishing, finding a kind of dramatic depth and feeling for character that most actors could only dream of reaching. Carrel, a comedic actor that has proven over time to be a solid dramatic one as well, infuses wisdom and hard-earned tears to the movie in a performance that ranks among his very best.
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