SummarySingle mom Flora (Eve Hewson) is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max (Orén Kinlan). Encouraged by the police to find Max a hobby, Flora tries to occupy him with a beat-up acoustic guitar. With the help of a washed-up LA musician (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Flora and Max discover the transformative power of music. From the ... Read More
Directed By:John Carney
Written By:John Carney
Flora and Son
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
User score
Generally Favorable
7.1
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
76
88% Positive
28 Reviews
28 Reviews
9% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
3% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Sep 22, 2023
100
Heart and soul—those two concepts beaten to death by lyricists—suffuse every scene of this modest, perfect picture.
Sep 22, 2023
88
Blending the hilarious and heartfelt, the tough and the tender, John Carney’s sweerheart of an Irish musical is something you’ll want to hold close.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.1
75% Positive
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
25% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Oct 3, 2023
9
IN A NUTSHELL:
The story is about a single mom who is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son. Encouraged by the police to find her son a hobby, she gives him an old acoustic guitar and connects him with a washed-up LA musician. Together, they all discover the transformative power of music. Harmony in their relationship also develops.
The film was written and directed by John Carney. THINGS I LIKED:
I had never seen Eve Hewson in anything before but now I’m a fan. She was terrific in this role.
We get to hear Joseph Goron-Levitt sing! I hadn’t seen him in anything in quite a while. I’ve always been a fan of his. I really liked him in this role too.
Jack Reynor is also in the cast and will look familiar to you.
The movie takes place in Dublin, Ireland. I was just there last month and walked past many of the places shown in the movie! I laughed when one of the characters said, “No tanks.” That’s how they actually talk there! We loved it.
Director Carney said that this film is a tribute to mothers.
If you love the guitar or folksy, heart-filled lyrics, you’ll want to buy this soundtrack.
Isn’t is awesome that the everyday person with a cell phone can make a music video?
It’s fun to watch how a song evolves.
I loved how the film showed two people separated by continents can feel like they’re in the same space because of the way music transports them.
I like that the movie doesn’t wrap up in a nice, pretty bow.
Keep watching during the rolling credits at the end of the movie to hear the revealed song Jeff wrote for Flora. THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:
Some Americans might have a difficult time understanding the thick accents.
We hear some songs with a ton of profanity. TIPS FOR PARENTS: A mother hits her teen son three times
Tons of profanity, including lots of crude language, and F-bombs
Talk of porn and detailed descriptions of sex
A single mother has a one-night stand.
Alcohol, cigarettes
A mother and son speak disrespectfully to each other, mostly yelling
Sep 30, 2023
8
A very pleasant movie considering it starts out as another vulgar Irish lower-class sob-story. A surprise! After a bit of time the movie found its footing and turned out to be very good. Good acting, good story, pleasant entertainment, and nice music. We'd rate it a: "well worth watching."
Sep 26, 2023
80
It takes shortcuts to do it, but ultimately Flora and Son will make you happy. And what’s wrong with that?
Oct 2, 2023
75
As always in Carney’s films, the music is emotional and lovely, with instruments played by its actors. The songs feel like they’re improvised on the spot, and Dublin is as inviting of a setting as usual.
Jan 24, 2023
75
If we’re being honest, Carney isn’t breaking new ground here, and I keep waiting for him to make a movie that will finally fully exhaust his Whole Thing. But Flora and Son is not that movie.
Sep 21, 2023
38
Flora and Son is far more invested in making its characters likable and cute rather than risking audience sympathies.
Oct 9, 2023
7
Um filme bem good vibes que chega a emocionar em certos momentos, mais especificamente pelo poder da música mesmo do que propriamente por alguma cena marcante (ainda que tenha sido espetacular o fato do Joseph Gordon-Levitt se transpor do computador, para materializar sua presença junto à protagonista, porém, achei que isso iria acontecer na cena final).
É um retrato humano e sincero da família tradicional (e digo isso não de forma irônica). Filho com problemas de socialização, um casamento que não dera certo, mas cujos adultos mantém ainda uma amizade (e achei bem legal o fato de não idiotizarem ciuminhos bestas entre eles, ficou na verdade uma representação bem madura, e não precisou sacrificar seus receios, além de uma queda pelo professor de música encarnado por um Gordon-Levitt muito bem caracterizado num cara de meia idade, o que se afasta daquela pegada mais sex appeal e mais apelativa.
Diria que é um filme inofensivo mais com camadas interessantes, que até poderiam ser melhor desenvolvidas, mas que, a meu ver, distorceriam a proposta do filme, porque de fato você sai com a sensação de que é um retrato "por cima" mas muito, muito humano mesmo. Os personagens possuem uma série de defeitos mas cuja redenção podem encontrar em momentos de encontro ou de arte.
Para melhorar, não há aqui um desafio, uma competição, ou algo extraordinário acontecendo. É um conto de pessoais normais, simples, que tentam seguir em frente em suas vidas e rotinas, e confesso que essa escolha do roteiro me agrada muito, e torna o filme onde a música não é instrumentalizada para vender mensagens de autoajuda, por mais que force um ou outro comentário, é maispara mostrar a perspectiva dos personagens mesmo.
Assim, o filme ganha em contornos de realismo, talvez perca em dramaticidade por não apelar para mensagens maniqueístas. Ainda assim, um excelente filme para se emocionar de forma completamente genuína.
Oct 2, 2023
7
John Carney ('Once,' 'Sing Street') returns with another dramedy propelled by several original songs that, as in his previous works, express the desires and frustrations of the characters. In 'Flora and Son,' the writer/director focuses again on the healing power of music to explore the world of a single working-class mother who must deal with a problematic son. Eve Hewson builds a charismatic and irreverent protagonist; her spirit and mischief are the film's heart. On the other hand, the other characters fail to leave an impression on the same level, such as Joseph Gordon Levitt, who plays a kind and understanding but boring guitar teacher; however, some interactions the side characters have with Flora elevate their presence. As usual, Carney places us in his native Ireland to show the heart of its people, their passion for music, and the drive of those who fight against everything and everyone every day to survive day by day. On this occasion, the story tries to cover too much, from a long-distance relationship with romantic overtones to the situation of young people who choose crime as a way of life, which leaves the development of these and other subplots half done. Nevertheless, 'Flora and Son' overcomes its script problems and the lack of more impactful songs to deliver a cute story about connecting with others through music.
Feb 28, 2025
6
While not as successful as other music-themed romantic comedies set in Ireland, it was a satisfying look at a single mother's struggle to engage with her grown son while also rediscovering her own passions.
Oct 14, 2023
6
The latest directorial effort from John Carney, following the exceptional Sing Street, Flora and Son focuses on Flora, a single mother who is determined to connect with her teenage son, Max. A Guitar and guitar lessons form part of that approach.Nevertheless, this premise is only the starting point of what the plot intends to communicate, since it's intended to reflect on the idea that music is a manifestation deeply rooted in human emotions and relationships.While the film effectively transmits this message through its narrative, it falls short in the musical section. In my opinion, the musical selection is poorly chosen and not up to par with the story, resulting in a lack of memorable sequences in which the music plays a part. Unfortunately, this detracted from the film's overall performance.Despite this limitation, I found Flora and Son to be an acceptable option.
Sep 30, 2023
5
In this unlikely tale, a woman without any previous training turns into an accomplished musician in just a few philosophy-filled lessons. Eve Hewson (daughter of Bono) plays a single mom whose 14-year-old son (Orén Kinlan) keeps getting into trouble. She decides to buy a guitar and learn to play it, which introduces an alluring teacher from LA (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Thus begins their long-distance relationship which involves more discussions ABOUT music than it does practical instruction. Hewson does OK despite her continual glower, while Gordon-Levitt brings his usual charismatic charm. John Carney (Once, Sing Street) is the writer/director, so expectations for a musical treat were high. Although there are some pleasant tunes, this film is more about the struggling relationship between the mother/son, but it's mostly surface. There are charming moments, but the pace drags and the empowerment discussions slow it even more.
Production Company:
- Distressed Films
- Fifth Season
- FilmNation Entertainment
- Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland
- Likely Story
- Treasure Entertainment
Release Date:Sep 22, 2023
Duration:1 h 37 m
Rating:R
Awards
Irish Film and Television Awards
• 6 Nominations
Hollywood Music In Media Awards (HMMA)
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
National Board of Review, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
