Flora and Son

An Early Film Featuring the wonderful Eve Hewson

**I just watched Disclosure Day (review coming) and I loved Eve Hewson’s performance. I knew I’d seen her before and then I realized she was in the charming Flora and Son. I wrote a review of it that never made it onto my Substack, until now! Read below and stream this sweet film on Apple TV.

Flora (Eve Hewson) is told by the authorities that if her fourteen-year-old son Max (Orén Kinlan) messes up once more, he will definitely have to serve time. As a young single mother, Flora struggles to connect with her teenage son. On her way home, she discovers a discarded acoustic guitar that she gets repaired and presents to Max. Max balks at the gift. He is currently envious of the young man in the neighborhood who makes rap videos in the parking lot of their building complex. This kid has cool clothes and is surrounded by pretty young girls.

Flora makes repeated efforts to get her ex Ian (Jack Reynor) to engage with their son Max, but to no avail. Ian spends most of his time being resentful of his missed musical career caused, in his mind, by Max’s birth. When Max spends time with his dad, however, it is a fun laid-back time with little parenting involved. This leaves Flora to do the heavy lifting in raising Max and she questions whether she is up to the task.

One night, in an act of boredom and desperation, Flora unearths the discarded guitar and decides to research lessons online for herself. She finds most of the teachers cheesy or weird until she stumbles upon Jack (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Jack has a laid-back style and calming presence that Flora finds exactly what she needs during this challenging time.

Ian and Max think it is silly that Flora has taken up the guitar, but she becomes serious about it as well as her online time with Jack. The film devises creative ways to deal with a main character who is not physically there. Jack is in California and Flora is in Ireland, presenting

an opportunity to experiment with Jack as a vital character even though he is only portrayed through a computer screen.

It is intriguing and refreshing to see a portrayal of a young mother who parties, cusses and has one night stands, but who also takes care of her son and is invested in his well-being. She makes her mistakes and is a human, but is devoted to finding a way to connect with her son.

Writer-Director John Carney has made several movies with music as the main theme. Here, he shows how it can bring people and families together. Regular people can follow their passions and it can fill a void without involving stardom. It can be fun and gratifying, and shine a light on your little part of the world.

Rated R

Currently Streaming on AppleTV