Despite excellent performances from Julia Roberts, (frantically worried mom), and Lucas Hedges, (drug-addicted son), "Ben is Back" is unlikely to be thought of as one of the better movies about addiction, opting for the thriller route rather than going down the social conscience road, (setting it over Christmas doesn't help either; sentimentality is never far away). It it, then, a reasonably thin piece written and directed by Hedges' father, Peter, presumably as a vehicle for his extremely talented son who doesn't disappoint. Indeed were it not for Hedges Jr. and Roberts this would be no better than a half-decent made-for-tv thriller. If they don't actually redeem the picture at least they give it a much needed lift. Still, only tolerable at best.
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