After The Fatherthe French playwright Florian Zeller proposes The Son, another film adaptation of his own play, which he directs. And it is a success.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
It happened thanks to an email written two years ago. Hugh Jackman was the sender, Florian Zeller the recipient. The actor had been so overwhelmed just by reading the play The Son that he took the initiative to write to the playwright to show him his immense interest. In the event that the role of the father in the upcoming film adaptation was not yet assigned to a specific actor, the interpreter of Wolverine was already ready.
“It was like fire in my stomach,” said Hugh Jackman at a press conference. It happens very rarely in the life of an actor to instinctively know that a role is destined for us at a specific moment in our lives. When Florian offered me the role, it was a great relief! »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
Zen McGrath, Laura Dern and Hugh Jackman in The Sona film by Florian Zeller
“Because of the pandemic, our first meeting was on Zoom, added Florian Zeller. I hadn’t really thought about the actor who would take the role of the father yet and at this stage, I didn’t intend to really think about it either. But after eight minutes of conversation, I offered the part to Hugh! »
An existential evil
First created on stage in Paris, with Yvan Attal in the role of the father, the play The sonwhich will be staged at the end of the month at the Théâtre du Rideau vert (directed by René Richard Cyr), this time relates how a father goes about trying to help his son, a 17-year-old teenager , grappling with a chronic existential evil.
As The Fatherwhich was also an adaptation of one of his plays, Florian Zeller manages in The Son to make cinematic a story whose theatrical origin remains obvious. Transposing the story of his play to New York, the French author, who still works with the British playwright Christopher Hampton for his adaptations in the language of Shakespeare, also echoes another state of mind on the social and political level. .
Surrounded by the excellent Laura Dern (the mother) and Vanessa Kirby (the new wife), Hugh Jackman (the father) and Zen McGrath (the son) deliver poignant performances. One no longer knows how to adequately help the one who, however, apparently shows some encouraging signs, the other is completely powerless in the face of his own distress.
Two memorable scenes
Beyond the themes explored in this story, let us remember two scenes in particular. The first involves Anthony Hopkins. The Oscar winner in 2021 (thanks to The Father) only appears in one scene in The Son, but what a scene! Faced with Hugh Jackman, the famous actor is simply grandiose. And then there’s that perfectly heartbreaking one where the parents are called upon to make a decision that one way or another will change their son’s fate.
“This film really shows how people tend to isolate themselves when it comes to mental health,” said Hugh Jackman. There’s the shame, the guilt, the feeling that you can sort things out on your own. But realizing one’s helplessness and allowing oneself to be vulnerable can help to understand and empathize with those around us. I sincerely hope that The Son will generate discussion. »
The actor also indicates that this film had a very strong impact in his own life, in his own relationship with his children.
“For many years, the role of a parent was to appear strong and reliable, never to worry and not to be a burden on your children. My approach certainly changed after shooting The Son. I now share more of my vulnerabilities with my 17 and 22 year old children. And I feel their relief when I do. »
Distributed in Quebec by Entract Films, The Sonin the running for the Golden Lion, will be released on November 18.