150 Word Review: ‘C’mon C’mon’ (2021)
A boy's life
My memories of childhood are like dreams. I’m not entirely certain they happened. But my mother remembers. I made her laugh. I was terrified of the tooth fairy. I prayed to Jesus every night before bed.
In writer/director Mike Mills’ superb drama C’mon C’mon, a lonely man cares for his intense, frustrating, charming nine-year-old nephew whose mother struggles to care for a father suffering from mental illness. It’s a buddy comedy, a road trip, a love story.
Joaquin Phoenix is lumpy and clenched as the uncle, a childless NYC radio journalist desperate to connect without a microphone in the way. Woody Norman gives an astonishing performance as a boy glowing with emotions. They harmonize. We are all born wise, and growing up means forgetting. C’mon C’mon is a beautiful black-and-white poem about listening with your heart, praying before bed, and dreaming about those who loved you when you were small.