2018 * R * 1h 43m I don't know how I missed this one when it came out. You'd think with a star like Julia Roberts in it, it would have garnered more attention. And with Oscar-worthy performances by her and Lucas Hedges, this film should have been way more popular than it is. The story deals with a tough subject, drug addiction, and the tough love a family uses to attempt to control it. What a powerful, intense, and thoroughly captivating movie it is.
Holly (Roberts) is returning home with her kids after a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service at their church. As they pull up in the driveway, her oldest son Ben (Hedges) is waiting for them. He's been in rehab for drug addiction and wasn't expected home. He reassures them that the visit was approved by his sponsor. Well, that's the first in a series of lies you expect from a hard-core junkie. And it's just the beginning of the problems the family faces.
Holly reluctantly agrees to let her son spend one day with the family, as long as he stays by her side the entire time he's there. While the family attends Christmas service, someone vandalizes their home and steals their beloved dog. So Holly and Ben go out on a mission in search of the dog. It's an intense journey, and will have you biting your nails until the credits roll. Just about the entire movie takes place over the course of one evening. Sort of a long day's journey into night, if you will. The story takes a number of twists and turns, and you never know what's going to happen next.
If you're looking for a well made, well acted thriller, give this one a whirl!
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla (with your library card). Also on Plex, Pluto TV, and Prime Video.
It says "Video Unavailable" but click on "Watch on YouTube" and it plays!
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