Flora and Son reminds us of the joys of being a teenager — or not. Worse still, it painstakingly captures the trials and tribulations of being the parent of a teenager, and a young, perplexed, struggling, single mother, to boot. The relatable, heartwarming performance by Eve Hewson makes Flora all the more charming, baffling, and lovable as she tries to bond with her difficult son, Max, and save him from becoming a criminal in the streets of Dublin or worse: His father. While, as parents, some scenes made us wince, it is also a reminder that this difficult phase is a universal, somewhat unavoidable rite of passage — which is both validating and endearing.

Music is the answer. One night, a drunk and frustrated Flora decides to begin online guitar lessons using a discarded instrument she tried and failed to gift her son after she was advised to find him something useful to do. As it turns out, her instructor, none other than beloved Joseph Gordon-Levitt, teaches her a lot more than ballads and notes. Through music, Flora’s life changes for the better, and while she may not become a rockstar, she is able to build a better life for herself and her son.

WHERE TO WATCH IT- You can stream the film on Apple TV.

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