Beautiful Boy is a new film based on the true story of a brilliant young man named Nic Sheff (Timothée Chalamet), who experienced his life falling apart due to his addiction to meth. The movie mainly follows him and his father, David Sheff (Steve Carell) as he embarks on a journey to find help for his son.

Beautiful Boy does not sugarcoat the undeniable horrors of drug addiction. The viewer witnesses the high points, but also the low points of Nic’s life; often the very things society does not disclose in media. No matter how aggravating it can be to watch Nic struggle and relapse, these are the things that, while ugly, need to be seen in our current culture. Beautiful Boy shows that struggle is normal and that together we can stop turning to drugs to ease our pain.

Another aspect of the film includes the struggles of the Scheff family. Nic’s father, David Scheff, is mostly seen pursuing and trying to help his son. The viewer follows David through his moments of hopefulness, but also his moments of hopelessness. Nic’s younger step-siblings depend on him to be their big brother and to always be there for them, but they don not fully understand his battle. Nic’s step-mother wants to help in any way she can, and Nic’s real mother is arguably the most determined when it comes to helping Nic overcome his addiction. 

Many moments in Beautiful Boy can be emotional and have a long loasting impact. I would give this film an 8/10 stars. Beautiful Boy is rated R for language, disturbing images, drug use throughout, and brief sensual material. However, it is worth watching, and I recommend it for everyone who is mature enough to handle the content.