Peter Hedges has crafted a juicy role for his Oscar-nominated son Lucas as a young addict who skips rehab for the holidays, but it's Julia Roberts' performance as his worried-sick mother that steals the show
Lucas Hedges delivers the best performance of his young career; Beneath its overworked plot -- and a Julia Roberts performance that toes the line between maternal desperation and movie-screen broadness -- this is a tender and knowing story
even as the script slowly loses its focus, "Ben Is Back" at least leaves a lasting impression from its two incredible leads and their unforgettable performances
as events progress, Hedges' script becomes sloppier with distractingly forced conflicts; There are good intentions and good performances here, but they're squandered in a movie that isn't quite sure what it should be and how far it should go
by Benjamin Lee [The Guardian ]
