C'MON C'MON

 

Behold a film in which writer/director Mike Mills turns to every bad family comedy about a career-oriented man having his life turned upside down by having to watch over a frustratingly energetic child and says, “What if you did this good?”

 But yeah, C’mon C’mon tells the story of Joaquin Phoenix as a radio journalist named Johnny, who after his sister Viv leaves to help out her mentally ill husband, is tasked with watching over her 9-year-old son Jesse, who he takes on the road with him as he travels throughout the USA conducting interviews with young children about their thoughts on the USA’s current status and future.

 

So, as I said in the opening joke, this is a pretty well-trodden setup for a film, but I’m all about the execution, and this film executes it well. Instead of the usual hijinks and treacly drama that could so easily be wrung from a premise like this, C’mon C’mon instead opts to focus more on meditative, quiet moments between Johnny and Jesse as they start to build a heartwarming uncle-nephew bond that is completely sold by Joaquin Phoenix and newcomer Woody Norman’s electric performances. Phoenix is great at vacillating between caring for Jesse and just being done with his tomfoolery, making for a performance that I can only assume will come across as relatable to many people who find themselves in a parental role. Woody Norman is also a revelation here, capturing the absolute anarchy and wonder of being a 9-year-old, especially one as precocious as Jesse is portrayed to be.

 

This film also shines in its presentation as not only are we treated to Johnny’s interview excerpts spacing out the moments between him and Jesse, but we also get readings of different poetry books – spelled out onscreen – and different classical music cues, as well as a stripped down, soothing score by Aaron and Bryce Dessner.

 

Now, what could be a bit of a turnoff for most audiences is this film’s pacing. As I said before, this is a film built more on moments than a traditional three-act structure, and at times, it can come off as feeling a little aimless and even long. But I would still urge you to give it a chance since there’s nothing wrong with viewing a film like that every once in a while. Hell, Miyazaki practically made a career from making animated films built more on moments than plot, and they’re no less charming.

 

And that’s the best word I can use to describe this film: charming. It’ll definitely warm the cockles of your heart, thanks to the stellar performances from the two leads and the laid-back tone. So, I definitely say give this film a chance.