Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- dark
- sardonic
- uneasy
- late night viewing
- indie film night
What critics said
Aggregate scores indicate broadly positive critical reception, with especially strong approval from Rotten Tomatoes critics.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Balthazar and Solomon explore ideals of heroism while confronting external pressures and masculine expectations.
The central bond between a bipolar kid and a clinically depressed man turns brotherhood into a tense emotional negotiation.
The film combines dark comedy with depression, narcissism, social pressure, and an escalating threat of violence.
The characters spend time in rural Arkansas while environmental and interpersonal pressures intensify around them.
Films like Our Hero, Balthazar, and why
The King of Staten Island
shares darkly comic coming-of-age tensions, emotionally unstable young men, and uneasy examinations of masculinity
World's Greatest Dad
shares sardonic humor, damaged male protagonists, and escalating pressure beneath an ostensibly comic surface
The Art of Self-Defense
shares awkward male identity, social alienation, and a satirical drift toward disturbing violence
Welcome to the Dollhouse
shares abrasive adolescent disconnection, class satire, and uncomfortable dark comedy
Movie Details
- Director
- Oscar Boyson
- Release Date
- 2026-03-27
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (3)
Cast
- Jaeden Martell
- Asa Butterfield
- Chris Bauer
- Pippa Knowles
- Danny McCarthy
- Jennifer Ehle
- Avan Jogia
- Bobby Potts
- Becky Ann Baker
- Anna Baryshnikov
Common questions
- What is Our Hero, Balthazar about?
- Two emotionally troubled young men test the limits of brotherhood and masculine heroism in rural Arkansas before pressure erupts into violence.
- What is Our Hero, Balthazar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Our Hero, Balthazar as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Our Hero, Balthazar violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Our Hero, Balthazar as mild.
- What did critics think of Our Hero, Balthazar?
- Aggregate scores indicate broadly positive critical reception, with especially strong approval from Rotten Tomatoes critics.
- Which films are like Our Hero, Balthazar?
- Films with a similar feel include The King of Staten Island, World's Greatest Dad, The Art of Self-Defense, and Welcome to the Dollhouse.
- How long is Our Hero, Balthazar?
- Our Hero, Balthazar runs 96 minutes.
