The Son (2022)

The Son (2022), directed by Florian Zeller, is a powerful family drama and a thematic companion piece to his 2020 film The Father. Adapted from Zeller’s own stage play, this film dives deep into the emotional turmoil surrounding mental illness, generational trauma, and parental responsibility. It’s heavy, it’s haunting, and yes—it will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Detailed Summary

Introduction: A Family Fractured

The story centers on Peter Miller (played by Hugh Jackman), a successful lawyer whose life is disrupted when he learns that his teenage son, Nicholas (Zen McGrath), from a previous marriage, has been skipping school and struggling with severe depression. Peter is now living with his new partner, Beth (Vanessa Kirby), and their newborn son, but his sense of duty and unresolved guilt lead him to invite Nicholas to live with them.

Nicholas’s Struggles

Despite Peter’s attempts to integrate Nicholas into his new life, things begin to unravel quickly. Nicholas displays deep emotional withdrawal, a sense of not belonging, and episodes of self-harm. His mother, Kate (Laura Dern), feels helpless but still tries to maintain a connection with her son. Peter, while well-intentioned, often fails to truly listen to Nicholas or comprehend the depth of his mental illness.

The film is punctuated with scenes that show the growing chasm between Nicholas and the adults around him. They offer solutions, structure, and advice—but fail to offer understanding.

The Illusion of Progress

Nicholas begins to seem better. He eats, jokes a little, even agrees to start school again. Peter and Beth cautiously begin to believe that maybe their son is turning a corner. Nicholas even expresses aspirations for the future. However, there’s a quiet tension lurking beneath the surface—audiences familiar with how depression can manifest will recognize the calm before a tragic storm.

Movie Ending

The ending is both devastating and unforgettable. Despite a brief period of apparent recovery, Nicholas’s inner turmoil proves too much to bear. After a particularly emotional exchange with his father, Nicholas is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. There, he pleads to be taken home, promising he’s feeling better. Peter, believing he’s doing the right thing, agrees.

Tragically, soon after being brought back home, Nicholas dies by suicide. This moment is not shown on screen, but we see the aftermath in gut-wrenching emotional detail. Peter and Kate are destroyed. Beth is crushed. The loss hangs over every frame that follows.

In the final scenes, we see Peter imagining an alternate reality—a fantasy where Nicholas survived, went to college, found love, and had a fulfilling life. But as the camera pulls back, we realize this is only Peter’s desperate dream. The true ending is unflinching: Nicholas is gone, and Peter must now live with the unbearable weight of that loss.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, The Son does not include any post-credits scenes. The film ends on a raw emotional note and allows the credits to roll in silence, offering viewers space to process what they’ve just seen. No teasers, no final words—just the echo of grief.

Type of Movie

The Son is a psychological drama with heavy themes of mental illness, family dysfunction, guilt, and loss. It’s slow-paced, dialogue-driven, and emotionally intense, meant for audiences who appreciate character studies and raw human storytelling.

Cast

• Hugh Jackman as Peter Miller
• Zen McGrath as Nicholas Miller
• Laura Dern as Kate Miller
• Vanessa Kirby as Beth
• Anthony Hopkins as Peter’s father

Film Music and Composer

The score is composed by Hans Zimmer, and unlike his grandiose work in action films, here Zimmer’s music is restrained, haunting, and piano-led. The music quietly underscores the film’s emotional weight without ever overpowering it.

Filming Locations

The film was primarily shot in London, with various interior scenes filmed in studio apartments and offices that mirror the cold emotional distance between characters. The cityscape subtly contributes to the film’s claustrophobic and isolating tone.

Awards and Nominations

While The Son didn’t generate the same awards momentum as The Father, it did receive recognition:

• Hugh Jackman was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama.
• The screenplay and performances received praise, though critics were divided over its tonal approach and emotional handling.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Florian Zeller insisted on adapting his own play to ensure thematic continuity with The Father.
• Hugh Jackman reportedly wrote Zeller a personal letter asking to be considered for the lead role.
• Anthony Hopkins, who won an Oscar for The Father, appears in a single but powerful scene as Peter’s cold, emotionally abusive father—providing chilling insight into generational trauma.
• The actors worked closely with mental health consultants to ensure accurate portrayals of depression and emotional breakdowns.

Inspirations and References

• The film is based on Florian Zeller’s stage play of the same name, the second in a trilogy that includes The Father and The Mother.
• The narrative draws heavily from Zeller’s interest in how mental illness affects family units and how generational patterns repeat if unacknowledged.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

There is no publicly known alternate ending, though early test screenings reportedly featured slightly extended scenes of Nicholas’s therapy sessions. These were cut to streamline the narrative. The final version was chosen for its emotional bluntness and fidelity to Zeller’s original stage script.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Although based on a play rather than a novel, the film remains largely faithful to the original script. The only notable expansion is the inclusion of more backstory for Peter’s relationship with both Beth and Kate, providing a broader emotional context than the stage version.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Nicholas’s breakdown in front of his father, yelling: “I don’t know how to make it stop!”
• The emotionally charged hospital scene where Peter must decide whether to bring Nicholas home.
• Peter’s final daydream sequence, imagining Nicholas alive and well.

Iconic Quotes

• Nicholas: “I feel like pain is all there is… and it’s never going to go away.”
• Peter: “I thought I could fix it. I thought I could be better than my father.”
• Peter’s father (Hopkins): “Stop blaming the world for your failures. You’re just like me.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• In Peter’s office, there’s a photo of a younger version of Nicholas, a subtle nod to Peter’s selective memory and longing for simpler times.
• The hospital’s name is the same as one mentioned in The Father, subtly linking the two films in the shared “family trilogy.”

Trivia

• This film completes Florian Zeller’s “family trilogy” thematically: The Mother, The Father, and The Son.
• Zen McGrath was cast after a global search for a young actor who could balance fragility with intensity.
• Hugh Jackman personally consulted therapists to prepare for his role.

Why Watch?

Watch The Son if you want to experience a deeply affecting, emotionally mature portrayal of teenage depression and the complex role parents play in their children’s lives. It’s not light entertainment—it’s a sobering, necessary, and powerful film that confronts realities too often pushed aside.

Director’s Other Movies

• The Father (2020)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Ordinary People (1980)
• Manchester by the Sea (2016)
• Revolutionary Road (2008)
• A Monster Calls (2016)
• Beautiful Boy (2018)