John Carney’s Flora and Son, the follow-up to his 2016 film Sing Street, is an utter delight. It follows young, single mother Flora (Eve Hewson) on her journey to course correct, and ultimately, connect with, her son Max (Orén Kinlan). Now, what this film appears to be versus what it actually is are two very different beasts, which makes for a deeply rewarding experience. At every moment, the film is either putting a smile on your face, welling tears in your eyes, or forcing you to admire its commitment to subverting expectations time and time again. For all the strong decisions made in the screenplay, the undeniable brilliance of Hewson’s performance is what brings the work together.
Flora is such a fun character from the moment she appears on screen, and the film is not afraid to depict her as an individual with many rough edges. To even attempt to smooth those out would be a disservice to the story that’s been crafted. It’s made apparent fairly quickly that Flora is a character with a lot of bite, and Carney and Hewson are certainly not afraid to show it. Whether dealing with strangers she met clubbing the night before, or making small talk with her ex-husband Ian (Jack Reynor) when dropping Max off, Flora is shown time and time again to have teeth that can cut right through whoever is giving her problems. Hewson is remarkably fun in these instances, playing the comedy expertly and naturally. Yet the most striking moments of her performance are the ones where very little, if anything, is spoken at all.
The film revolves around Flora’s attempt to learn guitar after her son refuses the one she offers him as a birthday present. While searching the depths of YouTube and mocking all the proclaimed genius teachers available, she finds herself transfixed with Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Sporting brown wavy locks and a scruffy beard, the moment Gordon-Levitt starts speaking, some audience members might assume they can figure out the rest of the story beats. And when he starts singing, hearts will surely swoon. Even while separated through a screen (Jeff is based in Los Angeles), the two have such witty banter that you can’t help but hope for the most cliche of happy endings. While that would undoubtedly be a lovely film in its own right, Flora and Son is far more concerned with a different set of relationships: of course the titular one, but Flora’s relationship with herself. Herein lies the film’s most powerful asset.
The more the audience learns about Flora, the more it feels impossible to not root for her. Carney’s script works wonders when it comes to moving through the intricacies of Flora’s choices. But a strong script in the hands of a wonderful performance like Hewson is what allows the film to soar. One moment that sticks out is around midway through the film, where Flora and Max are walking home. They see a girl that Max has a crush on, and Flora insists on walking over and inviting her up for dinner. It’s a moment we’ve seen countless times: a well-intentioned mom trying her best, and only ends up embarrassing their child even more. It’s a simple way to develop tension. But the tensions of this film are in place long before the film even begins, and the scene we actually get is a genuine portrayal of a young mother who was once in the very same situation. Handling the approach delicately, Flora does her best and saves Max months of embarrassment. And when it doesn’t work out exactly as planned, she goes above and beyond to formulate a new plan. Time and time again, there’s reminders both subtle and blatant that Flora had a very different vision for the path her life would take. Hewson takes these moments in bold strides, and when they are too much for Flora to bear in either direction, Hewson channels the emotions into such moving actions. It’s a wonderful performance that is equal parts devastating and empowering. As great as Hewson is performing alongside all her counterparts, it’s her performance that grounds the film in an impactful manner.
As Flora and Jeff begin to grow a relationship that extends beyond guitar lessons, Carney uses these scenes to delve into both their minds. The two have several conversations about their lives, as well as discussions about music relating to specific moments in their lives. They discuss the future they see for themselves, or the futures they had in mind years ago. In one fell swoop, Carney is able to craft a film that tackles personal drama, as well as artistic drama and the very notion of art itself. Each Zoom conversation is lovely and full of charm, but they also make for a refreshingly earnest conversation and debate towards the world of commodified art.
The rise of streaming services has brought a massive attempt at transmuting art into nothing more than a financial number. We have witnessed musicians get paid pennies on the dollar for music streams. We’ve seen completed movies get thrown away in favor of tax incentives. Through unprecedented levels of access to the history of movies and music, most streaming services have somehow removed the essential nature of what makes art so special. So it wouldn’t be surprising in the slightest to see a film like Flora and Son react jadedly towards music in the modern era. Instead, it takes a far more earnest and idealistic approach to how we view, and in turn appreciate, art. While discussing favorite songs, Jeff and Flora begin debating the ways in which a song can impact its listener. It’s this conversation that feels like the key to Carney’s worldview on music. While many artists might be content with making music that will be deemed popular, should music be something that has been solely reduced to catchy hooks and streaming records?
To love music and movies, and to demand more from them, should not be deemed as pretentious or empty criticism; we simply want the things we love to be complex. We want to be gripped by something we hear or see. To be taken to another world or another moment in time, in the hopes that we are changed upon return is a truly beautiful concept. It’s something that art can achieve in ways no other experience can. From somewhere as simple as our couch, a movie or a record can be put on, a book can be opened up, and in turn, we could be forever changed. There’s no sequence more telling of this than when Jeff assigns Flora some homework after one of their sessions together. He sends her a performance to watch: “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell. And as many of us have undoubtedly done, myself included, Flora presses play and walks away to begin doing the dishes. In a marvelous long take, Flora stops what she’s doing, and all but floats back to the video. In utter silence, Hewson’s eyes speak volumes as Flora is clearly deeply affected by the song. So much is said in this sequence with subtle movements and reactions from Hewson. It’s the type of moment that completely alters the rest of a film’s runtime. As the film comes to a close, Flora is able to parse through not just what’s become of her life, but how she is going to move forward in spite of it all. Flora and Son is more than a rom-com, or a musical, or even a witty drama. It’s a bold reminder that our stories are never over, and even if some might think they’ve come to an end, it’s up to us as individuals to prove otherwise.
Flora and Son is currently playing in limited theatrical release. The film will be available on Apple TV+ starting September 29th, 2023.