Mike Mills’ C’mon C’mon is a family drama, but due to the nature of the main character Johnny’s (Joaquin Phoenix) job as a radio journalist, it also takes on a documentary quality as well. The premise is relatively simple, Johnny is on the road, interviewing kids across the country, and asking them complex questions about the future, and their lives. This is interrupted when his sister in LA has to go to Oakland to help her mentally unstable ex-husband, and there’s no one to look after their kid Jesse (Woody Norman). In steps Johnny, who now has to care for his very eccentric 9-year old nephew.
Jesse is possibly on the spectrum. He is clearly intelligent, but also lacks friends, and has some strange ideas about the world. He’s been somewhat sheltered by his mom, and before Johnny stepped in, seems to have been living by rigid routines with her. Johnny is way out of his league, as an awkward individual, and a bit of a loner himself, he doesn’t know how to approach this kid, and there are some real growing pains there initially.
Eventually, the two go on the road together, first going to New York City. While there, Jesse start to open up a little more, and also starts taking a strong interest in his uncle’s recording equipment, listening to all the sounds the city has to offer. We start to see a nice dynamic form between the two, though there are times where Jesse makes that difficult. I think the film is very honest in the way it discusses the joys and frustrations of raising a child. That feeling of loving them more than anything, but also feeling like you can’t stand them sometimes.
I have to really highlight how strong a performance Woody Norman gave in this role. You really get a sense of the character’s vulnerability, and his frustration dealing with his now fractured family, and having to sort of grow up earlier than he should have. There is a fragility on display, as you watch Jesse try to figure out his emotions, with the aid of Johnny. It feels like this could be a turning point for him, and if Johnny doesn’t navigate it properly, the results could be disastrous. Phoenix for his part, is also in fine form, and the two actors have great energy together.
As mentioned earlier, Johnny is going around interviewing kids. I was really moved by how insightful, and thought-provoking their answers were. I was amazed to learn that these were all unscripted with real kids, and director Mike Mills basically tasked Phoenix with interviewing them, which if you know anything about Phoenix’s introverted nature, it’s the last thing he’d want to do. I think the answers given to these worldly questions are pretty relatable. Kids worry about being alone, they struggle with not being understood by adults, some worry about the world they’re inheriting, and others even accept that it just won’t be as good a world as the past.
In addition to those “documentary” parts, there’s also some moments where excerpts from various books are read, with the title written across the screen. There are snippets that discuss motherhood, and another from documentarian Kirsten Johnson discussing the act of interviewing a subject. Not sure how to describe those parts, but I really enjoyed them. The film can also be very introspective as well. Johnny’s character records his thoughts and emotions in a sort of audio diary at the end each night, and there are many attempts by Johnny to try and break down Jesse’s barriers, and help him to realize it’s okay to express your emotions, or to not always be “fine”.
Even though we are presented with a lot of heavier themes, the movie still manages to feels light, thanks to bits of humor, and just the playful nature of Jesse, and his interactions with Johnny. This sounds strange to say, but I thought the film did an excellent job capturing what it’s like being human. From dealing with the death of a parent as an adult, to the dissolution of a marriage, to just growing up. As someone that has struggled with some of those same things this year, I was really touched by the genuine way those topics were handled.
The movie was filmed in black and white, and it looks incredible, wth rich blacks, and just excellent lighting, especially the nighttime scenes. The photography work done by DP Robbie Ryan provides the movie with an intimate feel, and also does some beautiful composition work here too.
C’mon C’mon is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime, and is also available on Blu-ray and DVD from A24 Films.
Blu-ray: https://amzn.to/49iLTxn
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