A few months ago, the first Beautiful Boy trailer made the case for Timothée Chalamet’s second Oscar nomination (after 2017’s Call Me By Your Name) quite clear. The second trailer, however, also confirms that Steve Carell has a chance at his second nod from The Academy (following 2014’s Foxcatcher). This film, which is based upon memoirs by David and Nic Sheff, chronicles a son’s efforts to recover from his drug addiction while spiraling into relapse over a period of years. This trailer is gut-wrenching to behold, as Chalamet’s character teeters on the fine line between recovery and death while Carell plays the father struggling to comprehend how things went so wrong.
The story will surely strike fear in any parent’s heart and make many question how well they truly know their own children as they transition into adulthood. And while many eyes are fittingly captivated upon Chalamet’s startling level of talent at age 22, Carell’s anguished performance cannot be dismissed. The Amazon Studios theatrical feature debuted this month at TIFF to rave reviews, although most have inevitably noted that it’s a difficult film to watch.
Of course, that’s the case with many rewarding films, and this film should land several nominations when the Oscars roll into town. Beautiful Boy hits select theaters on October 12.
