The Greatest, the directorial debut of screenwriter Shana Feste, does the incredible feat of being heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, drawing the audience into this deeply moving film.
The film opens with an intimate scene between Bennett Brewer (Aaron Johnson of Kick Ass and Nowhere Boy) and Rose (Carey Mulligan, Academy Award nominee for An Education). After making love, Bennett abruptly stops his car in the middle of the road, and is on the verge of confessing his deep feelings to Rose when a truck slams into the car, killing Bennett.
The story then follows Bennett’s grief-stricken family, as they try to come to terms with their lost son/brother. Bennett’s mother (Susan Sarandon) grieves day and night for her son, developing an obsession for knowing what her lost son may have felt or said during the 17 minutes he remained alive after the accident. His father (Pierce Brosnan) attempts to detach himself from the loss in an effort to stay strong for his family, not allowing himself to deal with his overwhelming grief. Ryan (Johnny Simmons, Jennifer’s Body), Bennett’s younger brother, deals with feelings of inadequacy and alienation, continuing to live in his brother’s shadow.
Three months after the accident, Rose appears on the Brewers’ doorstep, pregnant with Bennett’s baby and with no other place to go. The family agrees to take her in, though they are emotionally unprepared to handle her presence. Gradually, through her wanting to know more about Bennett and become a part of the family, they begin to work through their pain and come together.
As we watch the family and Rose grieve, there are flashbacks of Bennett through Rose’s memory. It is through these flashbacks that we begin to understand their relationship, and the moments that led up to their fateful last night together. While the flashbacks are sweet with young love, there is a tinge of tragedy in knowing what is yet to take place.
In the final act of the movie, there is an appearance by Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), whose performance is short, but incredible powerful, in perhaps one of the most unexpectedly touching scenes of the film.
This moving film about love and grief is carried by incredible performances by its stellar cast. Sarandon and Brosnan perfectly capture the pained existence of two parents coming to terms with the loss of a son, and Simmons is captivating as the bitter younger brother who has difficulty admitting the love and admiration he feels for the other brother who always outshone him. Mulligan brings hope and inspiration to the group, as the young mother-to-be trying to learn more about the boy whom she believes was the love of her life.
8 out of 10
When the film premiere at Sundance last year, audiences embraced the story, saddened by the sense of loss, and uplifted by the sense of hope. Hopefully when the film premieres in New York and Los Angeles this weekend, it will have the same warm reception and strong attendance that it had at the festival, so that it may achieve wider distribution.
The Greatest opens this weekend in New York and Los Angeles:
LOS ANGELES
Arclight, Hollywood
Landmark, Los Angeles
Monica 4, Santa Monica
Town Center 5, Encino
Westpark 8, Irvine
Playhouse 7, Pasadena
NEW YORK
Paris Theater
Village East
Be sure to also check out the film’s website. It is a Silverwood Films/Irish Dreamtime production, produced by Lynette Howell and Beau St. Clair.
What cities would you like to see this film open in next?