Beautiful Boy (2010)★ 6.7/10
- Drama
Directed by: Shawn Ku
Written by: Michael Armbruster, Shawn Ku
A married couple on the verge of separation are leveled by the news their 18-year-old son committed a mass shooting at his college, then took his own life.
Cast & crew
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Videos
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Awards · 1 wins, 2 nominations
See all ›- WinnerToronto International Film Festival 2010International Critics' Award (FIPRESCI) · Discovery
- NomineeSan Sebastián International Film Festival 2010Youth Jury Award · Youth Jury Award
- NomineeSan Sebastián International Film Festival 2010Best New Director · New Directors Award
Reviews
M
Marti BerardiAugust 25, 2025
Marti BerardiAugust 25, 2025This movie builds you up to the big moment. You know it’s coming. The part where the parents finally break down and start yelling at each other, saying things you know they mean. But even knowing it’s coming doesn’t prepare you for how good it is. The performances are so subtle that when you get to the big shouting match it completely shifts the tone of the movie. It’s no longer about the parents wanting to find out why, which is the most normal and natural thing to do, but about how are they going to continue living after something so earth-shattering.
I honestly didn’t expect to like this movie as much as I did. I don’t really like handheld camera movements, but it felt very organic and very much a part of the plot.
It feels so human, especially when you see how these type of events get so picked apart by the media, turned into a spectacle, another number to add to the list of never-ending tragedies.
I honestly didn’t expect to like this movie as much as I did. I don’t really like handheld camera movements, but it felt very organic and very much a part of the plot.
It feels so human, especially when you see how these type of events get so picked apart by the media, turned into a spectacle, another number to add to the list of never-ending tragedies.