Movie Cosmos - Ben Is Back

Description:

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.

Top Cast >

Julia Roberts

As Holly Burns

Lucas Hedges

As Ben Burns

Courtney B. Vance

As Mr. Beeby

Kathryn Newton

As Ivy Burns

Rachel Bay Jones

As Beth Conyers

David Zaldivar

As Spencer 'Spider' Webbs

Alexandra Park

As Cara K.

Michael Esper

As Clayton

Tim Guinee

As Phil

Myra Lucretia Taylor

As Sally

Kristin Griffith

As Mrs. Crane

Jack Davidson

As Dr. Crane

Mia Fowler

As Lacey Beeby

Jakari Fraser

As Liam Burns-Beeby

Cameron Scott Roberts

As James Lamson

Jeff Auer

As Maggie's Dad

Henry Stram

As Mr. Richman

Bill Buell

As Dairy Farmer

Sandra Caldwell

As Customer

Nathalie Carvalho

As Lay Reader

Emily Cass McDonnell

As Bobette Parker

Marquise Vilson

As Leon B.

Melissa van der Schyff

As Robin Striem

Jocelyn Bioh

As Nicole Hill

Gamze Ceylan

As Pharmacist

Michelle Hedges

As Carole H.

Karen Willock

As Karen W.

Leon Addison Brown

As Willie G.

Bevan Thomas

As Gwenyth B.

Crystal Bock

As Jessie

Rosalie Tenseth

As Officer Reidy

Michael David Baldwin

As Officer Wheeler

Ian Stark

As Clayton's 2nd

Anna Lee Warren

As Church Choir

Avery Soto

As Church Choir

Vincenzo James Harty

As Church Choir

Olivia Etchings

As Church Choir

Kameron S. Holder

As Church Choir

Daniella Guigliano

As Church Choir

Julien Tornelli

As Church Choir

Elwaldo Baptiste

As Churchgoer (uncredited)

Rich Campbell

As Recovering Addict (uncredited)

John Cashin

As Doppelgänger (uncredited)

Teddy Cañez

As Officer Thomas (uncredited)

Rosemary Howard

As Christmas Service Congregant (uncredited)

Samantha Kelly

As Window Shopper (uncredited)

Eduardo Muniz

As Mexican Thug (uncredited)

Leo Orgil

As Nativity Scene Child (uncredited)

Sammy Peralta

As Mexican Thug (uncredited)

Shaun Rey

As Mexican Thug (uncredited)

Jessica VanOss

As Mall Shopper (uncredited)

Frankie Verroca

As Crackhead Junkie (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Peter Hedges

Director, Writer, Producer

Susan Jacobs

Music Supervisor

Dianne Dreyer

Script Supervisor, Co-Producer

Jan McLaughlin

Production Sound Mixer

Johnny Sousa

First Assistant "B" Camera

Colleen Ehrlich

Assistant Costume Designer

Robert T. Striem

Location Manager

Jason Velez

Gaffer

Roberto Fernández

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

John Silvestri

Second Assistant Director

James B. Appleton

Utility Sound

Stacey Panepinto

Makeup Department Head

Kimberly Amacker

Key Makeup Artist

Rob Harlow

Key Grip

Rick Sordelet

Stunt Coordinator

Chryss Hionis

Set Decoration

Filipe Messeder

Foley Editor, Assistant Sound Editor

Joseph P. Reidy

First Assistant Director, Co-Producer

Stanley Fernandez Jr.

First Assistant "A" Camera

Susan J. Wright

Wardrobe Supervisor

Michael Fuchs

Steadicam Operator, "B" Camera Operator

Mark Schafer

Still Photographer

Dickon Hinchliffe

Original Music Composer

Gabrielle Mahon

Unit Production Manager, Co-Producer

Damian Volpe

Sound Re-Recording Mixer, Supervising Sound Editor

Bernard Telsey

Casting

Jordan Lindblad

Visual Effects Editor

Gina Alfano

ADR Editor

Jay Peck

Foley Artist

Jose Ochoa

Utility Sound

Kevin Peters

Sound Mix Technician

Ronnie Wrase

Camera Loader

Rachel Jaros

Second Second Assistant Director

Christopher Eng

Second Assistant "A" Camera

Greg DeCellio

Boom Operator

Keia Bounds

Assistant Costume Designer

Michael Derario

Second Assistant "B" Camera

Amber Jasmin Morrow

Key Hair Stylist

Glenfield Payne

Sound Effects Editor

Mallory Trice

Post Production Coordinator

Tricia Holmes

First Assistant Editor

Sophie-Ann Price

Visual Effects Coordinator

Jon Carter

Hair Department Head

Michael Cory

Property Master

Alexis Wiscomb

Post Production Supervisor

Marlena Grzaslewicz

Dialogue Editor

Mark Russell

Visual Effects Supervisor

Shawnna Thibodeau

Stunt Double

Dan Friedkin

Executive Producer

Pete Shilaimon

Executive Producer

Bevan Thomas

Associate Producer

Micah Green

Executive Producer

Michael Heimler

Executive Producer

Kirsten Schatz

Associate Producer

Daniel Steinman

Executive Producer

Margaret Chernin

Co-Producer

Jane Nerlinger Evans

Executive Producer

Mickey Liddell

Executive Producer

Ben Stillman

Executive Producer

Blaise Corrigan

Stunts

Andy Eklund

Art Direction

Stuart Dryburgh

Director of Photography

Melissa Toth

Costume Designer

Teddy Schwarzman

Producer

Nina Jacobson

Producer

Ford Wheeler

Production Design

Brad Simpson

Producer

Ian Blume

Editor

Teddy Blanks

Title Designer

Reviews:

CinemaSerf (6/10)

"Ben" (Lucas Hedges) arrives at his mother's home on Christmas eve and she is delighted. "Holly" (Julia Roberts) and her daughter "Ivy" (Kathryn Newton) know that he has a problem, though. He's a drug addict and has only recently managed to go for seven days without using. A Christmas carol service and an happy Christmas beckon for all if only he can stay sober but his erstwhile dealer has other plans and using the boy's dog as bait, entices him into one last delivery that has everyone racing around before something tragic happens. It's all rather bleak, this, with neither Hedges nor Roberts really having much to work with aside from the rather depressingly presented subject matter. Perhaps this will resonate more with those who have experienced some of the traumas addiction can cause, and this story certainly has an authentic (television) look to it, but there are plenty of better put together stories of recovery (or not) out there that reach out to the uninformed and unfamiliar in a more constructive fashion - and this just rather slotted in mid-table. I like Hedges, he has something natural about him - but here they are both rather mediocre in a rather mediocre melodrama that doesn't really develop the characters or the underlying threads of the story anywhere near enough.

2023-07-22