Ben Is Back
On a fragile Christmas homecoming, a mother races to protect her recovering son and family from the pull of addiction.
Overview
A mother's love is put to the ultimate test as she fights to save her son from his demons.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- bleak
- intimate
- christmas viewing
- serious movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the understated family drama emotionally effective, especially because of the strong performances by Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Holly spends Ben’s brief Christmas visit monitoring his sobriety, confronting threats, and trying to prevent further harm.
The Christmas Eve setting and church carol service contrast sharply with Ben’s addiction and the family’s escalating fear.
Ben’s recent seven-day sobriety is repeatedly endangered by temptation, his former dealer, and painful memories.
Holly, Ben, Ivy, and the wider household struggle with responsibility, distrust, resentment, and protective love.
Films like Ben Is Back, and why
Beautiful Boy
shared intimate family drama, addiction crisis, and emotionally restrained performances
The Son
shared substance abuse, parental desperation, and painful family conflict
The Family Stone
shared Christmas setting, domestic tension, and morally complicated family relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Hedges
- Release Date
- 2018-12-05
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (976)
Cast
- Julia Roberts
- Lucas Hedges
- Courtney B. Vance
- Kathryn Newton
- Rachel Bay Jones
- David Zaldivar
- Alexandra Park
- Michael Esper
- Tim Guinee
- Myra Lucretia Taylor
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel
- 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 Ben Is Back about?
- On a fragile Christmas homecoming, a mother races to protect her recovering son and family from the pull of addiction.
- What is Ben Is Back like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Ben Is Back as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Ben Is Back violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Ben Is Back as mild.
- What did critics think of Ben Is Back?
- Critics broadly found the understated family drama emotionally effective, especially because of the strong performances by Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges.
- Which films are like Ben Is Back?
- Films with a similar feel include Beautiful Boy, The Son, and The Family Stone.
- How long is Ben Is Back?
- Ben Is Back runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Ben Is Back?
- In United States, Ben Is Back streams on Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel.
