US Weekly

Ben Is Back

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Too many years have passed since

Julia Roberts showcased her empathetic talents in the right big-screen project. The streak ends with this stirring drama, which takes place in 24 hours. Her Holly Burns is relieved yet terrified when her son Ben (Lucas Hedges) unexpected­ly arrives home from rehab to spend Christmas with the family. She goes to desperate lengths to stand up for her troubled child; he tries valiantly to stay clean. Their delicate dynamic early on is so fascinatin­g that it’s almost a disappoint­ment when they must embark on a frigid odyssey through their suburban neighborho­od. Like an anti-It’s a Wonderful Life,

Holly learns how Ben’s addiction and side hustle have negatively affected seemingly anyone he’s ever met.

 ??  ?? “We understood each other very clearly and deeplyin a way,” the Homecoming starsays of Lucas. The shaky narrative isn’thelped by unnecessar­ily graphic imagery.
“We understood each other very clearly and deeplyin a way,” the Homecoming starsays of Lucas. The shaky narrative isn’thelped by unnecessar­ily graphic imagery.

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