By Nick Delvescovo
Film Critic
“C’mon C’mon,” released on Nov. 19th, is the newest A24 film directed by Mike Mills. It stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann and Woody Norman. “C’mon C’mon” follows Phoenix's character Johnny, a radio host who interviews children across the country on their views of the future. When Johnny’s sister has to take care of her ex-husband, who is dealing with mental health issues, she appoints Johnny to watch Jesse, her 9 year old son. This film tackles loss, complex family relationships, and gives an insightful view of how kids view the world and how hard it can be to feel misunderstood.
“C’mon C’mon” was one of my favorite films of the year so far. There’s so much to love about this movie. From an acting and character standpoint, it was near perfect. Phoenix disappears well into his role as a soft spoken and caring person. He plays such a grounded character that I was able to relate to and connect with as a viewer. Woody Norman, who plays Johnny’s 9 year old nephew, is amazing. He is one of the best child actors I’ve seen recently and is able to capture a child’s wonder and the lack of verbal communication barriers that a child possesses.
At its core, “C’mon C’mon” feels raw. The sequences that involve kids being interviewed throughout the movie are unscripted, and said kids are not actors. The film perfectly weaves those aspects of real life and real reactions in with the scripted plot and story. It was refreshing to see and hear real perspectives from real kids on our future. They talk about the environment, how adults want kids to act, and the very real fears and challenges a kid today faces, and it was all done so beautifully.
Don’t let the classic premise of ‘older brother has to take care of kid’ that we see a lot of in movies fool you. The story of “C’mon C’mon” is extremely intimate and gives us a perspective on the relationship between kids and adults, past and present, that honestly hasn’t really been done before. There are complexities between Johnny and his sister and implications of each of their lives and their history. Overall, the film has a very grounded and real feel to it. Ironically, no aspect of the story or characters are black and white.
Some may argue that the pacing can be off at times, and others may not be as emotionally invested in and connected to the movie as I was, but it really had a positive impact on me. The soundtrack and score are also brilliantly done and the score itself is beautiful to listen to on its own.
I highly recommend “C’mon C’mon” if you're looking for an introspective film that takes time to focus on its characters. There is a lot to take away from the film, and it is definitely one that can have an impact on you. Without giving anything away, of course, the film ends with the credits alongside some audio clips of children being interviewed. Everyone in the theater stayed until the final credits scrolled off the screen.
Score: 4.5/5
