A film about an uncle tasked with taking care of his precocious nephew for a few weeks, C’mon C’mon is an authentic look into the mental freedom of adolescents vs. the fear and guardedness of adults.
I have always found the differences in generations fascinating. Every generation thinks that they did things the “right way,” and they’re happy to tell you about why other generations are making mistakes – particularly those coming after them. I am Gen X, and I remember much of the advice that I got from my elders after I had kids. I used what I could, but because I come from a generation that has often been left on our own, I had ideas of how I wanted to be different. What I learned quickly, though, is that my kids would also teach me, if only I could listen.
C’mon C’mon is about Johnny, a man who is currently touring the country for his work as a radio journalist and interviewing teenagers about their thoughts on life. On the anniversary of his mother’s death, he calls his sister, Viv, who he hasn’t spoken to in a year. Finding herself in a bind because she has to help her ex, Jesse’s father, who struggles with mental illness, Viv asks Johnny if he can babysit for his nephew, Jesse, for a few days while she is out of town. Johnny, who has no children of his own, quickly learns that taking care of an adolescent can be complicated.
The messaging in this movie spoke to me incredibly intensely. Johnny and his colleagues spend their days interviewing teens, and kids see everything. They know what they would do differently to make this a better world on a small scale (i.e. in their lives or for their children) as well as on a grand scale. They aren’t limited by red tape or worries – they see what they see and aren’t afraid to express it just the way it is. Their ideas are limitless.
Johnny, who has been hurt in the past and is unmarried, is guarded. Jesse, who is precocious and unafraid to be exactly who he is, is a real challenge for Johnny. Jesse is sensitive, quirky (i.e. from out of nowhere, he’ll imagine that he is an orphan who has shown up to the house), and incredibly intelligent, but he wants to be seen and heard. As they get closer and more comfortable with each other, you watch Johnny begin to lower his walls, but it’s not easy. Vulnerability is difficult.
Shot in a stark black and white, this film has a very “fly on the wall” essence. Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny alongside Woody Norman, as Jesse, and their dynamic is fantastic. Much of the movie feels like it may not have had a script, but instead some bullet points of what should happen and hours of footage was taken while they played out various scenes. I don’t know if this was the case, but it feels as if you are watching real conversations between two very real people. They are goofy, serious, painful, and funny, just like real life.
To me, the black and white was an example of the difference between the limitations and fears that adults have developed over the years and the freedom that children have. It is a bare bones representation learning to listen, learning to hear someone, and creating a safe space – not just living in black and white. Don’t get stuck – allow some color in.
Very few movies are able to quantify the experience of children’s thoughts (or collect them), as they do with the interviews and conversations in this movie. Kids know who they are, it is the adults that get stunted, and C’mon C’mon does an amazing job of reminding us that we need to keep quiet and listen. There’s a lot to learn.
Runtime: 109 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4.25/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
I have always found the differences in generations fascinating. Every generation thinks that they did things the “right way,” and they’re happy to tell you about why other generations are making mistakes – particularly those coming after them. I am Gen X, and I remember much of the advice that I got from my elders after I had kids. I used what I could, but because I come from a generation that has often been left on our own, I had ideas of how I wanted to be different. What I learned quickly, though, is that my kids would also teach me, if only I could listen.
