Hillbilly Elegy

Hello friends, this week I am discussing the current film “Hillbilly Elegy” starring Glenn Close. The film is based on the memoir of J.D. Vance, a man from Kentucky whose book explores three generations of an Appalachian family and their search for the American Dream. The film is directed by Ron Howard and stars Owen Asztalos as the young J.D. and Gabriel Basso as the older J.D. The film opens in 1997 when J.D., his mom Beverly (Amy Adams) and sister Lindsay (Haley Bennett), are visiting their hometown in Kentucky where his grandmother, Bonnie, called Mamaw (Close) and Papaw Vance (Bo Hopkins) still reside. The opening scene is where we are introduced to the formattable Mamaw, who is a take-no-prisoners type of lady in her influence over her family. This film flashes back and forth in time between the current day J.D., a law student at Yale, and his years in Kentucky and later Middletown, Ohio. J.D. hopes to land an internship in Washington D.C., where his girlfriend is working. Unfortunately, as J.D. is about to interview for the position, he receives a call from his sister that their mom has overdosed on heroin. J.D. is conflicted about returning home as he remembers (in flashbacks) how his mom was loving, but also emotionally and mentally unstable leading to several bouts of abuse. Despite his misgivings about returning home, J.D. relents and upon entering the hospital is greeted by his mother screaming at the nurses and doctors, who advise J.D. his mom must leave because she has no health insurance. This leads to more flashbacks as J.D. remembers when his mom worked as a nurse at the same hospital, but often stole drugs from her job to feed her addiction. When Beverly is forced to leave the hospital, J.D. and Lindsey are able to check her into a rehabilitation facility despite the fact this has never worked for her in the past. Once again, the stint in the facility never happens as Beverly refuses to stay. Further flashbacks occur as we see how a teenage J.D. fell in with the wrong crowd, but later, thanks to Mamaw, straightens himself out and joins the Marines, and later uses a G.I. Bill to attend college. The film effectively uses the flashback moments to reveal just how troubled J.D. ‘s childhood was, and despite all the odds against him, and with major help and encouragement from Mamaw, was able to overcome the odds stacked against him. The performances in the film are wonderful, led by Close, who is nearly unrecognizable as Mamaw hidden beneath curly brown hair and large glasses. Honestly, this is the performance Close should finally win her much deserved Oscar for. Co-star Adams is also formatable as the troubled Beverly, and delivers a performance worthy of a Best Supporting Actress nod. As for Basso, he holds his own, but is often overpowered by the performances of Close and Adams. Director Howard, handles the often difficult material with aplomb, and allows the actors to shine in the proper moments. The realism of presenting the truth of certain parts of Appalachia may bother some as stereotypical, the truth sometimes hurts. “Hillbilly Elegy” is a fascinating journey of a young man attempting to overcome his situation while not being ashamed of his heritage. Now playing on Netflix. (Rated R)