Sundance Review: FLORA AND SON is an energizing and uplifting film from the director of ONCE and SING STREET

The director of One time, Via SingAnd Start over, John Carneyreturned to Sundance with a new music-themed film titled Flora and son, and after an insanely stressful day, this is exactly the movie I needed to see. All the problems I was dealing with, all the stress on my shoulders, it all just melted away and for almost two hours I was engulfed in this movie that made me laugh and made me cry. It was not only the highlight of my day, it was the highlight of the festival.

I’m a huge fan of Carney and his past films, and like those, this is pure magic that tells a beautiful and funny story about a feisty young mother living in Dublin, Ireland who co-parents her troublemaker son. She is at a crossroads in her life, and it is at this point that she finds a guitar, fixes it, and embarks on an inspiring journey of growth and self-discovery.

Eve Hewson takes on the role of Flora, who “lost touch with aspiration a long time ago. She juggles a childcare job necessary for her livelihood and a complicated co-parenting arrangement with her rude ex as she tries to raise her son, Max. Flora and Max’s cheeky relationship is both hilarious and revealing of their struggles to understand each other: she seeks autonomy and self-respect disguised as selfishness, while her desire for independence and self-expression manifests itself as delinquency. When the two connect over a twice-used guitar, the unifying power of music brings them closer than mere closeness can provide.

Hewson is amazing in this role. He gives such a great performance and such an interesting and crazy playful character, and he plays it so well. He has this great, wild personality that you can’t help but fall in love with. I don’t know the actress’s past work, but I think this movie could make her a big star.

In the film he learns to play the guitar and starts taking lessons online, whose teacher is played Joseph Gordon Levitt, and who doesn’t like Joseph Gordon-Levitt!? He gives a charismatic performance in the film, and the two characters start a sort of long-distance relationship, which makes things complicated, but each is very understanding of each other’s situation. While taking these lessons, she finds common ground with his son in music and the two begin to grow closer to each other after years of resentment.

John Carney has made another mesmerizing film with his signature melodic style, and the description says Eve Hewson’s “high-energy performance and ocean-crossing chemistry with her online guitar teacher (played by Joseph Gordon- Levitt) bring a rousing love story with an Irish Punch to this lively piece.A story of how music can re-energise a life and resurrect long-dormant dreams, as well as a testament to the new connective tissues we grow in isolation, Flora and son it’s an all-around revelry in the beauty of the relationship.

Damn, I loved this movie and I just want to watch it again! While we wait for it to eventually be released, I’ll be here looking at Carney’s previous films. This is a movie to see! Apple picked up the film for around $20 million.