Just released at the end of September 2023 on Apple TV+, the film “Flora and Son” was a surprise. It was an opportunity for director John Carney(Once, Sing Street…etc) to create a new intimate, social and committed feature film that puts the power of music in the spotlight! Set in the streets of Dublin, the director’s favourite haunt, the film is an ode to musical creation! A powerful film that will charm all lovers of Ireland and music!
Flora and Son
Dublin today. Flora is a single mother struggling with her son Max, a difficult 14-year-old. With her repeated acts of delinquency, the young woman from Dublin has run out of solutions and leads a precarious life in the city’s tough neighborhoods.
During a final summons to the police, the authorities advise her to find an occupation for her son to channel his energy.
Worried, she offered him an acoustic guitar. But he refused, preferring synths, electro and rap.
Flora decided to teach herself the instrument, taking video lessons from a washed-up musician living in Los Angeles. Together, they discover the transformative potential of music in their lives… and Max’s…
Flora and Son
John Carney has always loved demonstrating the power of music to change lives. With Flora and Son, he repeats the experience, delivering a powerful film. The result is a superb blend of humor and social drama.
We discover the precariousness of Dublin’s underprivileged neighborhoods. The ease with which young people living there fall into delinquency… As well as the difficulty parents have in communicating with their children…
And for John Carney, the solution exists: although communication between people is often impossible, music can bring people together and make relationships flourish. A subtle, universal message!
Without bringing out the violins, the film shows the unifying power of music. A simple guitar or synth can create real bridges between a man and a woman, or a mother and son.
To make the film, John Carney called on a highly sensitive cast. Starting with Eve Hewson, daughter of Bono, the famous singer of U2, who creates a sensation from the very first minutes.
The film also offers a surprising role to Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jeff and introduces young actor Orén Kinlan as Max.
The three actors literally carry the film, delivering hyper-realistic performances.
But the real star of the film is Eve Hewson. She demonstrates not only her acting skills, but also her singing talents, which will come as a surprise to those who know her mainly as an actress.
Although her father Bono hasn’t always been supportive of her acting career, he’ll no doubt be amazed at how well she excels at both.
In previous interviews, Eve Hewson had expressed her nervousness about singing, especially in front of her father. But with “Flora and Son”, she proves that she’s as good at singing as she is at acting.
In terms of script, the film is a resounding success. We discover the daily life of a rainy Dublin, marked by social inequalities in the small neighborhoods.
Without breaking out the violins, or descending into heavy-handed melodrama, Flora and Son is a film rooted in naked reality. A reality punctuated by poetry, thanks to emotionally-charged musical moments.
A very good film, in the vein of Once, which focuses on the universal bond of music! A must-see!
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