Ben Is Back

  • Rated R
  • 1hr 43m
  •  (234)
  • 66

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Videos & Photos

  • Official Trailer
  • Teaser Trailer

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Peter Hedges

Producer:

Margaret Chernin, Dianne Dreyer, Jane Nerlinger Evans

Writer:

Peter Hedges

Release Date:

Dec 7, 2018

Runtime:

1hr 43m

Synopsis

19 year-old Ben Burns (Lucas Hedges) unexpectedly returns home to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve morning. Ben’s mother, Holly (Julia Roberts), 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. Ben is Back also stars Courtney B. Vance (“The People V. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) and Kathryn Newton (Lady Bird).

Cast

  • Julia Roberts
  • Lucas Hedges
  • Courtney B. Vance
  • Kathryn Newton
  • Rachel Bay Jones
  • David Zaldivar
  • Alexandra Park
  • Michael Esper
  • Tim Guinee
  • Myra Lucretia Taylor

Did You Know?

Trivia

  • Lucas Hedges and Kathryn Newton co-starred the year before in Lady Bird (2017) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), marking this movie their third collaboration.
See more »

Quotes

    • Neal Beeby: If you were black, he would be in jail by now.
See more »
Movie details provided by

Atom User Reviews

 4.1 out of 5
103
77
39
11
4
POPULAR TAGS
#intense
#greatcast
#mustsee
#great
#heartpounding
#awardbuzz
#inspiring
#leavekidsathome
#indiehit
#allthefeels
#original
#truestory
#mustseebro
#boring
#familyfriendly
#slow
#terrifying
#snoozefest
#seeingitagain
#predictable
Verified Review
#intense
#greatcast

The wife and I enjoyed it. I’m sure for some parents who can relate it’ll hit a soft spot and even for those who can’t, imagining the possibilities of your own child going through these things just makes you want to be there for every single moment of your child’s life and make sure they’re never alone. Julia Roberts hit this role out of the park. If I had to compare it, I would say it was just as good as her role in Stepmom if not better.

3 of 3 helpful votes
FG
Fidel G
Verified Review
#boring

Took my girl to see it thinking it was gonna be good based off the trailer and critic score..., but it was a total let down. From beginning all the way till a hour and a half into the movie it was just plain n nothing happening. The ending was not good as well. Left the movie theater tellin my girl sorry for picking a bad movie..

2 of 2 helpful votes
AL
Andy L

Metacritic

66
metacritic
Based on 39 Critics
6.8

USER SCORE (45)

Generally favorable reviews based on 45 Reviews
63
Dec 16, 2018

The film doesn’t glamorize addiction, or make it irrationally melodramatic, or gussy itself up in bespoke tragedy. (The same cannot be said of Beautiful Boy.) It’s all just right—even if “just right” is just O.K.

View full review
K. Austin Collins
Vanity Fair
80
Sep 12, 2018

Julia Roberts blasts through this family reunion drama-turned-thriller with one of the most forceful performances of her career.

View full review
Wendy Ide
Screen Daily
70
Sep 12, 2018

The film is aware of the weight of its subject but loath to behave like an important film — focusing instead on the specificity of one sick young man and the family that loves and fears him in almost equal measure.

View full review
Metacritic review by John DeFore
John DeFore
The Hollywood Reporter
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com