Overview
A tender journey through love, addiction, and self-discovery unfolds in a vibrant yet gritty world.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- wry
- melancholic
- surreal
- late night viewing
- indie film night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film absorbing and distinctive, praising its talented ensemble and effective period setting despite its slight, episodic construction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
FH recounts separate episodes involving Michelle, hospitals, detox, Phoenix, AA, and the care center in a looping, absent-minded manner.
FH experiences premonitions and gradually reveals unusual gifts amid heroin use, psychedelics, and recovery.
The film follows FH through heroin addiction, theft, detox, AA, and gradual movement toward care and connection.
FH learns to touch residents at the care center and reshapes his daily routine around hearing a Mennonite woman sing.
Films like Jesus' Son, and why
Drugstore Cowboy
episodic, offbeat drug-era drama balancing wry humor, melancholy, and spiritual drift
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
surreal counterculture journey shaped by addiction, fragmented narration, and darkly comic alienation
Half Nelson
bleak yet humane addiction drama with strong period atmosphere and emotional complexity
The Last Detail
quirky, episodic American character drama centered on damaged outsiders and unexpected tenderness
Movie Details
- Director
- Alison Maclean
- Release Date
- 2000-06-16
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (79)
Cast
- Billy Crudup
- Samantha Morton
- Jack Black
- Denis Leary
- Dennis Hopper
- Holly Hunter
- Michael Shannon
- John Ventimiglia
- Will Patton
- Miranda July
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Jesus' Son about?
- A drifting young addict recounts a strange, tender journey through heroin, love, recovery, and flashes of preternatural insight.
- What is Jesus' Son like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Jesus' Son as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Jesus' Son violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Jesus' Son as moderate.
- What did critics think of Jesus' Son?
- Critics broadly found the film absorbing and distinctive, praising its talented ensemble and effective period setting despite its slight, episodic construction.
- Which films are like Jesus' Son?
- Films with a similar feel include Drugstore Cowboy, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Half Nelson, and The Last Detail.
- How long is Jesus' Son?
- Jesus' Son runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Jesus' Son?
- In United States, Jesus' Son is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
