No Wins, Only Losses- OUR SON
by Danny Mendes, TheCinebuff.com
Divorce is a no-win situation. Bill Oliver’s centers around Gabriel ( Billy Porter) and Nicky (Luke Evans), a couple on the throes of a collapsing marriage. As the parents battle for custody over their son Owen, they must also learn what true love and sacrifice are. As heartbreaking and dramatic as the material can get, Our Son never forgets to place its focus on the humanity of its main characters, warts and all. Billy Porter and Luke Evans give gut-punching performances that will no doubt induce a few tears.
The film wastes no time in throwing the audience into Gabriel and Nicky’s turbulent relationship as their opposite personalities have begun to take their toll on one another. Gabriel is nurturing while Nicky is stern-faced. It would be so simple to frame either parent as the villain, but the film thankfully never goes that route; instead, Our Son simply presents the characters as they are without judgment. It’s their imperfections that make us root for them. Porter and Evans share a great deal of emotionally heavy scenes, and each actor manages to carry the weight of the drama without missing a beat.
While Porter’s performance is no doubt strong, it’s Luke Evans as Nicky who stands out. Nicky is the character who gets the stronger character arc as he learns to be more involved with his son rather than in his career. Evans strikes a fine balance between being stoic and callous at the start of the film, to becoming more vulnerable as the story progresses. There are so many penetrating moments of heartbreak that are all the more effective because of how well he sells it.
Our Son drags at times, but the power of the lead performances propels it to the finish line. As far as divorce dramas go, it doesn’t give us anything new, but Bill Oliver’s expert direction lets us forgive any flaws. The material is presented with great reverence and love for its characters. Our Son is a tender-hearted surprise that deserves to be seen.
Our Son opens in theaters on December 8th, and will be released on VOD starting December 15th.
Originally published at http://behindtherabbitproductions.wordpress.com on December 7, 2023.
