Flora and Son

Flora and Son is another feel-good winner from John Carney. A messy Irish single mother, wonderfully played by Eve Hewson, takes up online guitar lessons with a charming LA-based Joseph Gordon-Levitt and learns how to take control of her life and re-connect with her son. Henson delivers a fantastic performance, and Gordon-Levitt is so charming! Carney shows how important music is to our lives and what it can do for so many. Starts off a little generic, but quickly finds its heart and soul. John Carney is simply one of those directors where you can literally see their passion in their work. Exactly what you would expect: Funny, wholesome, and heartfelt with a catchy songs and a proper use of the internet to connect and share art. What more could you want?!

I had the pleasure of prescreening this movie and I was bored by the description but after watching this movie, it is easily one of my favorite movies I have watched in a long time. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I rolled my eyes and cringed. It was amazing! The description makes it seem boring and cheesy and I wont lie. It is a bit cheesy but that is what made it so amazing to me. The son's cringy rap, the overwhelmed Mom, the awkward dynamic between Flora and her ex. So many relatable scenes.

There are a few scenes I sobbed over and the end was just a really beautiful scene.

A great movie and I personally enjoyed the music(Even the cringy rap).

Another sweet, likable slice of life salted with a hefty sprinkling of music from director John Carney.

Eve Hewson (Bono's daughter) does a fair job of making an exasperating character winning, and she and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays her guitar teacher/love interest, have some serious chemistry together, no mean feat given that their characters interact entirely via video conferencing (though Carney does throw in some inventive flourishes to get around that obstacle). If it all ends a little too patly, and it seems like everyone a little too easily gets what they want, well, I don't watch these kinds of movies for how realistic they are, but rather how I'd like to think the world could be.

Grade: B+

This movie has plenty of flaws and cliches...and I did not care all that much. Carney has this way of using music to overcome an audience's resistance. I was like, "This is worse than 'Begin, Again,'" and, "Well, it ain't 'Sing Street.'" But then a mother and son started making music together. And I was cooked. This is basically "Hearts Beat Loud" but Irish and with more familial antagonism. Is it Carney's best? Nope. Not even close. Some of the Joseph Gordon Levitt scenes were downright laughable (not to mention cringy). But it says something when the moments and performances are enough to overcome all (or most of) the flaws. Hewson especially kills it. She takes something fairly stereotypical and transforms it into a complex character that can carry a film. This movie may not be perfect, but that doesn't mean it is any less enjoyable.

I really liked this movie but it is no "Once." Still it touched my heart on many levels. The relationships and the music seem apropos for the these times. Good character development and good music. A much needed break from all the violence and chaos that seems to permeate modern cinema. Plus, it is shot in Dublin. It brought back memories of my visits to that fine music city. Bono's daughter is a strong actress with a bright future.

You may be annoyed with her at first...she is pretty unlikeable...but that is the point. It is about redemption, and starting your life again. We are never too old to learn new tricks.