Family dramas with troubled sons seem to be all the rage as Awards Season replaces Blockbuster summer. And fitting squarely into that territory is Ben Is Back, starring Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges. Watch the teaser for the new movie...
"Tease" is very much the name of the game here, with the footage literally just outlining the film's title with scenes of Hedges' Ben Burns returning to his home, only for his mother Holly (Roberts) and sister Ivy (Kathryn Newton) to react with surprise and – in Ivy's case – distrust.
The full synopsis suggests why their reactions could be conflicted: "19 year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. Ben’s mother, Holly, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son staying clean. Over a turbulent 24 hours, new truths are revealed, and a mother's undying love for her son is tested as she does everything in her power to keep him safe." So, yes, substance abuse issues and trust issues agogo.
Written and directed by Peter Hedges (Lucas' father, and we really want to know how the negotiations went between the Academy Award-nominated actor and, er, his dad), Ben Is Back will be out in the States on 7 December, but hasn't yet locked down a UK date.
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