Flora and Son Review
8.5/10
It is exceptionally difficult to capture the creation of a song in a film without feeling contrived. John Carney is one of the few filmmakers who makes the process look genuine. You can teach the mechanics of songwriting to a certain extent, but if you don’t have the instinct for it, then the magic will remain elusive. I like to think I am a reasonably competent writer, but when it comes to creating lyrics, my abilities are infantile at best. I wish I had the ability to sit down and bleed my soul into the creation of a great song, but I have learned over the years to leave that work to the experts.
Flora and Son depicts the music-making craft in a way that makes it feel approachable rather than an intimidating art beyond our comprehension. The film introduces us to a single mother, Flora (Eve Hewson), partying at a club then going home with a stranger. She vaguely indicates to him that she has a son but has no idea where he is. Already we know she is not exactly adept at motherhood since she treats her teenage son as more of an inconvenience than a responsibility. Her son Max (Orén Kinlan) is an aimless kid who is constantly at risk of being sent to prison due to his reckless behavior.
Flora knows that her son is out of control but has no idea how to connect with him. Her useless ex, Ian (Jack Reynor), does little to help her situation. He is stuck in the past and his former “glory” of his band days. Ian’s claim to fame is that his band was once on the same bill as Snow Patrol many years ago. He talks about this like he was once a god and the world wronged him. I wonder if this was a way of Carney showcasing what Reynor’s character from Sing Street could have become since they both share delusions of grandeur.
The music part of the film is sparser than I was expecting. Instead of being a musical, Flora and Son is more of a drama with a few songs. One of the issues with trying to portray amateurs making music is the end result usually sounds far too polished to come from everyday people. Carney has managed to sidestep that issue in his work by having the songs be just rough enough to be relatable, but still well-written enough to have great hooks. You believe that these people could make music like this since their first efforts aren’t exceptional. They make mistakes and don’t initially understand how to string together lyrics and melody.
Flora’s foray into music is an unhappy accident. She gets a wakeup call about her son’s lack of direction and careless actions when she finds out he could soon be sent to juvenile hall if he slips up again. She decides to give him some motivation to do something with his life by gifting him a guitar. Mind you, she literally digs it out of the trash so it’s not exactly in pristine condition. Max has no interest in this gift and rejects it to her face. This leaves Flora with a guitar and enough spare time on her hands to learn it. She is not passionate about music and basically only makes this decision out of frustration at her son. After browsing through numerous guitar tutorials online consisting mostly of teachers showing off how incredible their abilities are, she stumbles upon Jeff (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who is the only one not trying to strut his skills.
Their long-distance relationship makes her realize she may have musical ability deep within her. Even though her interest in songs extends mostly to club music and sappy ballads, there is a yearning she discovers for making songs that unfurls throughout the story. We get to see Flora blossom and discover the passion that has been eluding her all these years. All because of a guitar she fished out of a dumpster for her son. This is not a film about sweeping dramatic moments; it is a slice-of-life drama at heart, like Carney’s previous films. It shows people with rich inner worlds trying to find their voice.
Eve Hewson is absolutely fantastic in the role. She creates a person who comes off as aloof and careless at first but is soon revealed to be a deeply flawed person who understands she needs to better herself and the relationship with her son. She makes poor choices in a way that feels completely relatable. She has been dealt a less-than-ideal deck and is trying to cope with her lack of direction, much like her son. What’s interesting about the film is how it makes you think it will be about her budding romance with her guitar teacher, Jeff. That is certainly an aspect of the film, and their moments together are lovely. One in particular on a rooftop when we first see them together in the same space was so heavy with yearning and heartache that it made me tear up.
Joseph Gordon Levitt and Eve Hewson have wonderful chemistry. Jeff is initially chill and charming, which Levitt sells beautifully. As the film progresses, we see that he is hiding layers of bitterness and resentment at his failed music career. When Flora talks about the music she enjoys the most, he shoots it down with a delightful air of snobbery which is quite rightly called out. Their relationship propels her development, but it is the dynamic with Max that is the heart of the film. Orén Kinlan is the perfect balance of teenage angst and eventually sincerity. It’s clear that his wandering rebellious ways are merely a reflection of his mother’s disconnect with her own life. The moments of the two bonding over the shared creation of music are among the most heartwarming in the film. Levitt adds a wonderful, nuanced sense of regret to Jeff. It is bubbling beneath the surface, creeping towards us the more we get to know him.
I’m used to John Carney’s films having numerous musical moments that accentuate the character drama, but here the film is more focused on the character moments with a couple of songs interspersed throughout. Perhaps this is Carney’s way of gradually shifting away from just doing music-based films; easing back on the focus on songs to showcase character growth. If that is the case, then this is an excellent way to start that transition.
Those hoping for a typical romantic story should be aware that the tale does not pan out exactly how you’d think. Flora’s journey is not about finding a perfect husband to replace her ex. It’s more about her connecting with her sense of purpose and what is more important to her. Perhaps down the line that could be marrying another man, but the film is more interested in her personal growth. The blossoming relationship between her and Jeff is important to her evolution; he helps her discover her true passion. However, she is not defined by her romance and the film is better for it. Like The Holdovers, Flora and Son is a comfort food film that does not stray far from what the director has made before. As much as I love his work, after this many films about music I’d be more interested to see him tackle something completely different.
