Review: C'mon C'mon

Image courtesy of A24.

Mike Mills' "C'mon C'mon" starts out as a stylish black and white film that appears simplistic in concept and more concerned with mood and tone before gradually developing into something a little deeper and what one might expect from the director, whose previous film, "20th Century Women," was a woefully underrated film of great insight and warmth.

Looking like a Woody Allen movie from the early 1980s, but starting off with a vibe that feels more in line with a Mumblecore film, "C'mon C'mon" follows the exploits of Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix), an audio journalist of some type - it's never quite established who he's working for - who is working on a project in which he interviews children around the nation about their hopes, dreams and visions of the future as if he's producing some sort of American "Up" series.

He's somewhat estranged from his sister, Viv (Gaby Hoffmann), who has her hands full with an imaginative, but often hyper, 9-year-old boy named Jesse (Woody Norman) and a mentally ill husband named Paul (Scott McNairy). The siblings had somewhat of a falling out after their mother's death. The two manage to reconnect, and Johnny suggests taking Jesse off Viv's hands for a while as she tries to get Paul the help he needs.

This begins as somewhat of an extended babysitting gig, but eventually turns into a series of road trips for Johnny's work - first to New York, and then to New Orleans. I must note here that Mills and his crew do a smashing job of photographing Los Angeles (where the story begins), New York City and New Orleans in beautiful black and white photography, often capturing the wonder and loneliness of those great cities. I felt like I could just sit and watch the gorgeous New York skyline and L.A. traffic shots for two hours.

Jesse obviously endears himself to Johnny, but he's also a handful. He occasionally runs off, leaving Johnny frantic to find him, and insists on role playing games in which he's either an orphan or some other character, which appears to be his manner of expressing his feelings. A significant part of the film involves Johnny and Jesse just wandering through cities, parks, beaches and cafes, while the other half is often Johnny on the phone with his sister, reporting his challenges of taking care of a child (he's childless and the mention of a breakup occurs more than once).

As I'd mentioned, Mills' film at first appears to emphasize style over all else, but once it settles in it's the type of picture that sneaks up on you. You suddenly realize you're emotionally invested in Johnny and Jesse's dramas, and you're moved by the testimonies of the children who speak to Johnny and sound hopeful, despite being aware that previous generations have left them with a horrendous mess. 

There are numerous scenes in the film in which Johnny reads from various texts (all of which are cited) and we see how they apply to the story. The most effective example is his reading a children's story in which a star child comes to Earth, grows up and learns about the loneliness, emptiness, joy, suffering, heartbreak, beauty and all other wonders of the planet. Jesse calls out Johnny for getting a tear in his eye while reading, but this moment also encapsulates what this film's all about: making yourself vulnerable.

During the course of the movie, Johnny tries to get Jesse to describe the emotions he feels from having a mentally ill father and how he feels as if his mother has pawned him off on Johnny while she cares for Paul. But unlike the other child subjects whom Johnny interviews, Jesse isn't one to openly discuss his problems - at least, not until late in the film, when he doesn't so much discuss them as he does express them.

Mills writes and directs dramas that are overflowing with humanity - from the Oscar-nominated "Beginners" to "20th Century Women," which should have gotten a lot more attention than it did when it was released several years ago (seriously, check it out). His latest is a charming film that takes a formula that's been done many a time - relatives bonding on a road trip, although the driving part is fairly minimal here - and gives it a unique vibe. It's well worth seeing.