5 Years Ago, Joaquin Phoenix Made a Road Movie No One Noticed – But It's a True Gem With 94% on RT
It is a film for those who want to see how two people who are completely different find common ground and change each other.
Five years ago, amid the pandemic, C'mon C'mon, a quiet black-and-white drama directed by Mike Mills, was released and went largely unnoticed.
The slow-paced, heartfelt film follows an adult uncle and his nine-year-old nephew as they embark on a journey across America, changing each other in the process.
Joaquin Phoenix, typically cast in chaotic and explosive roles, delivers one of the warmest and most tender performances of his career.
What Is 'C'mon C'mon' About?
For his special project, radio journalist Johnny travels across the US, interviewing kids and teens about their relationships with their parents, their sense of self, and their outlook on the future.
Meanwhile, Johnny is asked to look after his nine-year-old nephew, Jesse, while his sister, Viv, cares for her husband, whose mental illness has worsened. Never having planned to become a father, Johnny approaches this new mission with interest.
Eventually, they must leave Los Angeles for a job in New York. There, Jesse and Johnny struggle to coexist, overcoming misunderstandings, stubbornness, and loneliness.
'C'mon C'mon' Greatest Strength Is the Incredible Chemistry Between Joaquin Phoenix & Woody Norman
Joaquin Phoenix, an actor with a reputation for being unpredictable, undergoes a transformation like never before. His radical image change – exuding tenderness and care while displaying an absence of chaos – surprises and disarms more than any Oscar-winning performance.
In C'mon C'mon, Phoenix seems to be taking a course on how to become a successful father. Young Woody Norman also delivers a captivating performance – child acting is usually viewed with condescension, but Woody emerges as a wise, inquisitive, and grounded child of a new era.
The black-and-white cinematography by Irishman Robbie Ryan, an Oscar nominee for The Favourite, plays a key role. The monochrome serves to emphasize the sincerity and emotional purity of what's happening on screen.
'C'mon C'mon' Is Life Lessons and Mutual Learning Without the Cheap Melodrama
C'mon C'mon doesn't descend into saccharine sentimentality or pseudo-psychological polemics. Instead, it offers the kind of support that most people lack early in life – Johnny and Jesse learn from each other, and this learning goes both ways.
Jesse, worried about his father's illness and afraid that he will suffer the same fate, learns to express his feelings. Johnny, who never planned to be a father, learns how to care for someone else.
The film ends with Johnny promising Jesse that if he forgets their time together when he grows up, his uncle will remind him. C'mon C'mon is a rare movie that is both comforting and provocative and tells about mutual learning, the uniqueness of each day, and searching, regardless of age.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'C'mon C'mon'?
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C'mon C'mon has 94% from critics and 87% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.3/10.
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On Letterboxd, C'mon C'mon scored 4.1/5.0.
Where to Watch 'C'mon C'mon'?
C'mon C'mon is available to stream on Tubi TV.
