Flora and Son
★★★★
Director John Carney has been able to carve this unique brand of movie where the plot centers around how music brings characters closer together. Although the narrative thread of Flora and Son is similar to his other films (Once, Begin Again, Sing Street) and also features amazing original songs, this film seems like a complete new experience centering on the core of a single mother (Eve Hewson) and her rebellious son (Orén Kinlan). The story does a good bait and switch where we are led to believe that the music-making process is leading to a romantic relationship between Flora and her guitar teacher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). I should have known better that Carney has more perspective than that and he shows us how music does more than bring people together, it has the power to center us as individuals as well.
I became a big fan of Hewson from her prominent role in the show Bad Sisters, and after this film, she is an undeniable force to keep a watch on. Her character is extremely strong and fallible at the same time and we are able to see her open up emotionally while still not changing the core of who she is. I thought that the way Carney visually develops a technological bridge between Flora and Jeff (Gordon-Levitt) is inspired and though I personally can't stand to be on a Zoom call for more than an hour, it's easy to see how these two connect so well together.
Even though I'm not gifted musically, I found this movie to be a love letter to the creative process. The relationship between Flora and her son seems unrepairable, but Carney shows how a shared interest can make all the difference in the world. Not only was I tearing up towards the end of this film, it made me want to go out right away and make a movie with my daughters.
