Why The Son Flopped at the Oscars

The Son appeared to be one of the top Oscar contenders of 2022, but then everything went wrong. What happened? In this latest video in my series Oscar Fiasco, I explore why the Florian Zeller drama starring Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern crashed and burned at the Academy Awards. #academyawards #oscars #theson #hughjackman #lauradern #vanessakirby #anthonyhopkins #oscarfiasco #theawardscontender
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WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY BRIAN ROWE
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[@davy209]

I would love to see a video on the absolute Oscar fiasco of “The Woman King” just because there were so many unexpected twist and turns the movie had to deal with during their Oscar campaign last year! From the controversy of the historical accuracy, the snub of Viola Davis in favor of Andrea Riseborough, the director openly criticizing several Academy voting members for purposely not attending any of the several screenings they were invited for, and some academy members basically admitting that there is some truth to the director’s accusations with their on preconceived biases against the movie and the people involved in it, anonymously of course!

[@jonathanvelazquezph.d.2719]

Hugh Jackman is so talented! He's already won a Tony, an Emmy, and even a Grammy. Ironically, he's still an Oscar award away from becoming a member of the EGOT club. This might be surprising considering he's made his mark as a movie star. Hopefully, he'll get his Academy Award one day. 🏆 🏆 ⛔ 🏆

[@Jared_Wignall]

Hugh Jackman defiantly should have been nominated for Prisoners. That film should have been up for a slew of awards when the award season came around. He deserved the Les Miserables nomination but he also should have been up for Prisoners and Logan for sure. Thank you for the video Brian, I’ve not heard too much about The Son honestly. Outside of a Golden Globe nomination and some smaller award nominations, not much happened with this film awards-wise. I’ve not seen it, but it’s a shame the film isn’t that good. Here’s hoping Hugh Jackman is able to get nominated again at the Academy Awards with the right film in the near future. Keep up the great work and have a great day!

[@slimeylimey89]

Excited for Florian Zeller's next movie, The Holy Spirit.

[@janlyrliu9697]

g1

[@kareninacarado]

He might do the film adaptation of The Mother. Isabelle Huppert played the lead in the play in New York not long ago, so perhaps he can sign her too for the film. I don’t know if that can still happen since The Son flopped so hard in cinemas, or he may just stick to theatre as it is his stronger suit.

[@MrGMovieReviews]

Been making that joke for 2 years now

[@eamonndeane587]

Or 'Holy Ghost, Batman!!!!'

[@williesullivan3985]

I think Hugh Jackman is more of a movie star than a great actor. He doesn't "disappear" into roles, never approaches that type of next level character development and is always playing some version of himself. He is definitely charismatic and the camera loves him but to call him an acting "titan" is a real stretch. I think Wolverine will be what he is remembered for and that has as much to do with his physique as his acting prowess.

[@marrmart7690]

He is handsome but he need the project and director

[@peteradaniel]

I Have to disagree. A "movie star" doesn't get two tony awards. Actors get Tonys. He's nearly an EGOT without the Oscar.

[@Skoora]

Got to disagree as almost all Oscar winners are no different.

[@manantial773]

That is a bunch of lies, you have not seen more than 2 movies with him. Jackman is a versatile actor and it has 2 Tony awards.

[@andreiiliepopescu6393]

"What happened with The Son?" ---- It was very cloudy that Oscar nomination morning. :D

[@bethd1480]

I think this was typical Oscar bait movie. The one everyone talks about and then it crashes and burns with no awards. Same goes for Empire Of Light. I always felt that Anthony Hopkins in The Father, saved the integrity of the Oscars. If you remember that year they moved Best Actor to last category and were planning on some type of honoring of Chadwick Boseman, which made it look like they already knew who the winner was and that they may have fixed it that way. I was so relieved and pleased when they called Anthony Hopkins name as he truly was the best actor that year.

[@thetrison]

Great analysis! I feel like the Son having had everything just to lose it all was pretty deserving. The Father felt small and claustrophobic, but the acting was so phenomenal that every minute of Anthony Hopkins managed to squeeze out my tears with ease. Meanwhile, I detested every second the son appeared in THE SON. The rest of the movie was just mid. Other than this fiasco, it's great that you opened with Hugh Jackman's acting career. That man should be handsomely awarded by now.

[@marrmart7690]

Right..the father was imotinal but the son not too much imotinal

[@josawesome1]

I wonder if it wasn’t helped by the fact that Aftersun, a much better, more respectful, more personal film about similar(ish) subject matter came out the exact same year. Especially since Paul Mescal got into Actor as the film’s sole nomination while The Son couldn’t manage that. I mean they’ve nominated actors for films that don’t deserve it before, countless times (*ahem* Glenn close in hillbilly elegy) but the fact that there was something to compare it to certainly hurt his chances significantly Edit: spelling

[@DJarvis1987]

It's a bit disappointing to see Hugh Jackman not fully shine in this movie. Despite his immense talent as an actor, it feels like he hasn't quite found the right project to truly showcase his abilities. There's a sense that he's playing a version of himself, and it would be fantastic to see him take on a role completely outside of his usual typecasting to captivate the audience's attention, similar to Brendan Fraser in 'The Whale' or Matthew McConaughey in 'Dallas Buyers Club.' Jackman's personality comes across as a bit predictable, and it would be refreshing to see him do something more daring. Additionally, I couldn't help but feel that the third act of the movie fell flat compared to the promising first half. It just didn't have the same impact, and personally, I would have preferred a different ending altogether. It didn't live up to the buildup and anticipation that was created throughout the film, particularly the scene with the washing machine. Another aspect that struck me was the absence of a strong teenage lead. It would have been interesting to have someone like Timothée Chalamet, who has proven his ability to carry films, even if they aged up the character to be a college dropout. This could have explored themes that are relevant to today's generation, such as navigating the challenges of the college system and searching for meaningful opportunities. Overall, I appreciate the efforts put into this movie, but I believe there were missed opportunities to truly make it outstanding.

[@marrmart7690]

♥♥❤

[@hothotheat3000]

I’ve been screaming about Prisoners for YEARS.

[@LanaDayne]

Love the video Brian! Seriously keep it up, I love these look backs on recent Oscar campaigns.

[@scottfw1193]

Hugh is great and a movie star - but sadly, he's a B-wattage star (not a Cruise, Smith, etc). Also Zeller's stories work much better as theatre than film

[@marrmart7690]

Goos to make theatre story in cinima..the whale take oscar in acting even the film based on theatre story

[@pophector]

Great video, Brian. You hit the nail on the head as to why I hated this film. Almost every conversation felt haphazard & forced to the point that even before the ending, this movie got on my nerves. And I think Zen McGrath was incredibly miscast, I think he more than anything else was the weakest link of the movie, other than the names you listed, I think Timothee Chalamet & Lucas Hedges would have been more believable in the role of Nicholas. And that ending was so hamfisted and superfluous, it left one of the worst bad tastes I had after watching the film on Netflix. And yet, it was still a better movie than Blonde at least. Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby, & Anthony Hopkins did the very best they could to save this dumpster fire. Another 2022 Anthony Hopkins film this could also apply to was Armageddon Time, another hyped movie that fell flat by the time awards season arrived, you could make a video on that though one could argue that wasn't hyped as much as Babylon or The Son even. And to end my message, as much as I was rooting for Chadwick Boseman & Riz Ahmed in the 2020-2021 Best Actor race, you just can't deny Anthony's performance in The Father, especially by the very end (much as I found that movie to be a bit of a mindfuck). Thank you so much for an amazing video. I hope that with the release of the Bradley Cooper Maestro Netflix trailer, an Elusive Oscar video for Cooper is coming.

[@marrmart7690]

I agree hue jackmen was good but screenplay not good

[@Dennisanyone-]

Good film. In another less, competitive year Jackman would’ve been Oscar nominated. For now he has his Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe to give him comfort.

[@kellie-nd1yp]

Jackman should have been nominated for The Prestige .I actually felt more for Jackman as Jean Val Jean but it I rate DDL in Lincoln among the best of best actor winners. I guess I am not in a big hurry to see the Son but I will probably get around to it.

[@bev9708]

I had been fortunate to go see The Father without knowing anything whatsoever about it and was totally blown away. The Son didn't come out in cinemas until March 1st here and I popped along to see it that very day. For much of the movie I could forgive Zen McGrath's performance as I felt it was rather true to a reserved teenager who doesn't know how to express himself and feels disconnected, misunderstood and neglected by his once-adoring father, except that there were a few scenes when suddenly he DID know how to express himself, and so the whole thing began to ring more and more untrue as it went along. I didn't thoroughly enjoy Hugh's performance either with, as you say, a couple of fake moments so that the ending certainly was not well earned!! I have to say that it WAS a bloody strong attempt at a powerful film, but unfortunately it did indeed ultimately fall flat!!

[@marrmart7690]

The film have wrong screenplay

[@alisdairmckenzie]

I believe that thumbnail on Netflix with Hopkins is pure and utter 'clickbait'... for goodness sake, you said The Son is on Netflix, showing the thumbnail and I still processed it as The Father... perhaps it's a backhanded reminder that what you are about to see is NOT The Father. That film contains a rare viewing occurrence for me, the slap in the face, which made me scream, for real, and then burst into tears. No exaggeration. The cruelty of it I could not bear, at all. That was an experience, so for me, his appearance is merely a reminder, sadly of the greatness gone before. I now look out now for all your new videos Brian, from the fiascos, to the predictions, the Meryl Streep series ( where is part 4?????!!! don't kid yourself that we'd be put off by a 5 hour video on La Streep)- you work a lot on these videos, it shows on every level. Bravo!

[@patrarus6097]

Excellent commentary as always, Brian. I tried to see "The Son" at my local theatre and it was gone before I knew it. I don't get HBO so cannot see it that way. I agree that Hugh is overdue for an Oscar.

[@15Candles]

Damn, i remember being so anticipated about The Son because The Father was a masterpiece that earned Florian Zeller a well deserved Oscar. It's such a shame that his second movie took him to a massive U turn because of the material that he didn't really understand. Jackman did his best to make the movie semi watchable but dang the movie was absolutely flat

[@marrmart7690]

He try to reapet the father but the story was not too much good

[@KennethofTroy]

you hit the nail right on the head, sir! i feel mcgrath's performance pulled focus so often (i was shaking my head far too long after his performance ended and i probably missed some of the other best performance due to the distraction) and it dragged the rest of the production down with it. casting is everything!!!

[@victorodia5878]

I love this video, well done Brain

[@andreiiliepopescu6393]

Thank you for this review, Brian! I didn't dare watch this film for fear that it would ruin the effect that the film "The Father" had on me. I'm a fan of Hugh Jackman but I think the type of role that would get him another Oscar nomination would be something like Jean Dujardin's role in The Artist. Jackman needs a Oscar-winning musical role. He's never more credible than in those roles. What do you think?

[@cashboulder]

Bong joon ho vs Sam Mendes director race retrospective would be awesome!

[@harmenmoes9138]

Will you make an video in the serie “Oscar Fiasco” about the film “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk”

[@manantial773]

Zen McGrath is unwatchable, but the real question is how someone like Zeller approved that performance? This is the mystery of the century and it seems that it will stay that way. Laura Dern is also very bad in it.

[@jeremyd5850]

The Son was good but the ending was a bit off. Hugh role needed more interaction with her dad. The son was clearly off and for Hugh to do the bare minimum. He should have got him help immediately.. his procrastination was weird

[@sharonalbanese8084]

I dont get it with HJ. He is apparently one of the most liked actors around, a really nice guy. Plus, there are so many great performances. I hope his time will come.

[@SoulKnightKing]

There was not a 0 chance. He was def 7th pick. 5th choice was Paul Mescal 6th was Tom Cruise 7th was Jackman 8th was Sandler

[@doncasto8520]

He truly is a great actor. Blonde aside, it's not often someone gets a nomination in a bad movie.

[@oragamiowl5031]

Excellent video as always and I agree with all your points as to why The Son failed. I loved The Father but to me The Son left me cold. Everything about it felt forced and far too ‘let’s shout and talk for the sake of it because DRAMA’. It was so unrealistic and melodramatic and forced. Love Hugh Jackman and he should’ve absolutely been nominated for Prisoner but I understand why this movie was ignored.

[@redred4877]

Most embarrassing Oscar Bait Fail ever.

[@outinsider]

I think for this one it's a matter of just because the bell rung once and people heard it doesn't mean when it rung twice people might not have wanted to hear it again.

[@MerylCheap]

I don’t have any proof, but I blame The Son flopping like it did for Hugh going back to Wolverine. I truly don’t think he wants to make more action and superhero movies I think he wants to be a serious dramatic actor, but The Son just ruined that. (I actually think he’s really good in it, the script is just awful and the actor who plays the son is pretty bad too)

[@gabrielcastaneda9700]

I saw the son opening night in LA AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE THEATRE AT 7pm

[@StephanieGould]

I honestly think "The Son" is too similar in tone and even characterizations to 2018's "Beautiful Boy" with Steve Carell & Timothée Chalamet.

[@eamonndeane587]

In Beautiful Boy's, it probably helped that the film was based on a True story.

[@claudiobdv5166]

I just can't understand how you portrait a condition as complicated as the demency from The Father in a great way and then you deliver such an obviously wrong one for depression in The Son. Hopefully F. Zeller is not a one hit wonder, guess time will tell.

[@mikebowman4692]

Why does Laura's hair always look good.

[@FantasticBeasts2024]

This & Babylon 😬

[@myytchanneldinakoha8498]

The Son does not need overanalysis. It just wasn’t Oscar-worthy.

[@allisontucker9874]

I would honestly like to see a video of how Matthew McConaughey won for best actor in 2014 or how The Artist won for best picture

[@marrmart7690]

The father..win oscar.becase the academy and peaple feel symbthy with ( father story). But in the ( the son ) dont feel same feeling with the ( son story). In the father they feel pain and unfair but in the son feel just proplem.. that why the acting was exagrate in film. And hue jackmen was same olivia colman role.. good as supporting role. I mean ( the son) dont take oscar nommination in leading role bacase the boy act son role not to much good.. and ( huee jackmen dont take nommanition in the oscar in leading role.. becase they think he is supporting role..but the big comptition let him not in top five. The right word why hue jackmen lose oscar nommination in supporting role. The son and till big snube Thank you ❤♥❤

[@kindnessfirst9670]

At the Oscars? It never made it to the Oscars- so it neither flopped there nor succeeded there.

[@allenrubinstein3696]

Fifteen minutes to say, "It's not very good."

[@randyf5126]

really?? im a big movie guy and I remember nothing about this movie! I saw it on netflix recently and I thought it pretty bland.

[@marrmart7690]

Bacase snuned from awards seasion..that why award seasion good for the films

[@stevenstevenson5303]

I'm not the biggest Wolverine fan i think those movies are so gay but ive been rooting for Hugh Jackamn since Kate and Leopold(a cheesy 2000s rom com i know) he was totally snubbed for Prisoners i thought for sure he'd get in. Tbh i didn't even have him in my nominees for lead actor for The Son after he was nominated at the globes and nothing else.. not even a critics choice nom. I'm still holding out hope his time will come tho.

[@randyf5126]

if joaquin was nominated and won for the joker, no reason jackman should not have been nominated for logan. Both were not your typical comic book movies.

[@Wildcat612]

With all due respect, there was far too much filler in this episode. You basically have a nine minute intro on why the film looked good on paper, then just two and a half minutes on the film's flaws (where I would argue you're faaaaaaaaar too kind), and the remaining four minutes just reiterates that the film ultimately got no Oscar nominations, which we know before even clicking on the video.

[@bruh_hahaha]

The Son = The Goldfinch 2.0

[@bknsty14]

If you haven’t already talked about it, please do a video about how it’s possible La La Land lost to Moonlight. La La Land is one of the best movies to come out over the last decade. If not longer. It’s massively rewatchable. Entertaining on so many different levels. It’s a shame it wasn’t immortalized with a best picture Oscar.

[@tochi4074]

And so is Moonlight. It more than deserved that win.

[@lilchaos4792]

That dancing scene was sooooooo fcking cringe lololol

[@MsTriangle]

It's very simple. I saw it at a festival in Europe and it was just a bad, bad film.

[@leightonbate7516]

I don't find him very magnetic as a performer outside of action franchises,I think calling Dern and Kirby acting titans is a stretch,Dern has been playing the same role for about 6 years and Kirby is good in Pieces of a Woman but I wouldn't call her a titan,the Hopkins scene is so hokey and on the nose,the teen actor let's the whole film down,you are right he seems stilted,Jackman does ok but it's all for nothing,I found it surpising though he couldn't crack the category over smaller films like Living and Afteersun.

[@Ronnie34118]

Jackman should have won for Logan Greatest leading performance in comic book movie history ( more than Phoenix in joker) e that year category was terrible

[@lilchaos4792]

Heck no.

[@Sodacake]

Why did it flop at the Oscars? Because it sucked. There, I saved you 15 minutes.

[@neilmoore7194]

Jackman's palling around with Ivanka and Jared doesn't endear him to voters and not to me either.

[@andreiiliepopescu6393]

Does anybody think that Florian Zeller's next play will be called "The Holy Spirit"? Hollywood and writers need to stop with these vague titles "The (blank)" or "(INSERT NAME HERE)", I'm looking at you Judy/Babylon/Amsterdam but also you Barbie/Oppenheimer. Thank goodness for films with creative title like "Killers of the Flower Moon" or "Everything Everywhere all at once" .

[@lilchaos4792]

His persona and acting is so fake lol

[@Starkardur]

He's not that great of an actor. Sure he has a screen presence and is very charming, but I don't think he's a fantastic actor nor do I think his performance in Prisoners was that amazing. It's very on the nose. The son wasn't well received critically or commercially so of course it bombed at the Oscars