Ben is Back  ★★★★

JULIA Roberts has always been an under-rated actress despite delivering some memorable performances.

I would rank Steel Magnolias, Pretty Woman, Erin Brokovich, Closer and August: Osage County as her best.

Now we can add her character in the 2018 drama Ben is Back to that list.

Roberts and Lucas Hedges give powerful and nuanced performances as mother and son at the forefront of a family’s battle against the scourge of drug-addiction.

We meet Roberts’ character Holly Burns just before Christmas while she is out shopping with her teenage daughter Ivy. On the drive home they find oldest son Ben waiting in the drive-way.

Holly jumps on the brakes and hurriedly leaves the car to embrace Ben, but Ivy’s response is more one of concern and she immediately starts texting her father to come home.

We learn that Ben has left a drug rehabilitation clinic in order to spend time with his mother, step-father Neal and three siblings. The younger two children are over-the-moon to see him but Neal and Ivy are not convinced.

Holly is torn by the absolute love for her first-born and memories of constant disappointments and conflict caused by Ben’s addiction. She puts on a brave face but at the same time makes sure she hides all their valuables to remove the temptation based on past experiences.

With tensions already rising, it’s agreed that Ben will go immediately back to the clinic; but at the last moment Neal relents and Ben is allowed to stay for Christmas Eve night only.

Ben shops with his mother and is seen by several people who know him from his previous time as a local drug dealer. That night their home is broken into and their dog stolen.

Apart from wanting to ensure the family is safe, Ben and Holly go in search of the dog which has previously played an important role in Ben’s story. During the night Holly comes to an even deeper understanding of past events that have devastated her son’s life.

Roberts’ performance is matched by young Lucas Hedges who has created a formidable career in such a short period with his roles in Manchester By The Sea, Ladybird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Boy Erased.

There are moments in the film when the pain in loss of love, trust and belief in the future is palpable and highly emotional, culiminating in an ending that may appear sudden and lazy but is in fact a perfect microcosm of potentially never-ending pain, suffering and concern.

The film is written and directed by Peter Hedges, father of Lucas, who also wrote the much-loved What’s Eating Gilbert Grape from 1993 and About A Boy. His best-known previous directorial efort was Dan In Real Life from 2007 which was also Lucas’ first film appearance.