At first glance, & Sons seems like the kind of family drama we have seen many times before. A famous, withdrawn father brings his estranged sons back into his life, old frustrations resurface, and the secrets of the past slowly come to light. With Bill Nighy, George MacKay, Johnny Flynn, Noah Jupe and Imelda Staunton making up the impressive cast, the film certainly has plenty of talent behind it.
And perhaps that is why it takes a little getting used to when & Sons takes a surprisingly unexpected turn fairly early on.
An Unexpected and Original Twist
The story of & Sons starts out fairly conventionally. Andrew Dyer (Bill Nighy) is a once-celebrated writer who has increasingly withdrawn from the outside world. He has barely been in contact with his two adult sons for years and is also struggling with alcoholism. When he believes that his health is failing, he brings his family back together.
So far, there is little here that you haven't seen before in a family drama.
But & Sons has a trick up its sleeve.
Without giving anything away: the film introduces a twist that is both extremely unexpected and genuinely original. It is therefore much more enjoyable to experience this film without knowing too much about it beforehand. The less you know, the better.
That does, however, make it difficult to discuss the film in detail without revealing precisely what makes & Sons so interesting.
The question is what the film ultimately does with that twist.
The Twist Could Have Meant More
Because although the twist is undoubtedly interesting, it eventually feels as though & Sons doesn't quite know how to fully explore its most unusual idea. The film seems to use the twist primarily as a metaphor.
That is not necessarily a bad choice. In fact, there are some genuinely interesting ideas behind it. Still, it sometimes feels as though there was much more that could have been done with this particular concept.
You are left with the feeling that & Sons has something very special in its hands, only to eventually fall back on the family drama it initially appeared to be.
That may well be the film's biggest missed opportunity.
& Sons Is Deliberately Not a Standard Genre Film
At the same time, & Sons has something that prevents it from ever feeling completely conventional. The structure can be rather messy at times.
On paper, that should be a criticism, but strangely enough, it sometimes works in the film's favour.
There is something wonderfully peculiar about the way & Sons jumps between characters and approaches certain situations without always following the conventional route. It gives the film a personality of its own. It also makes it clear that this is not simply another standard family drama moving neatly from A to B.
Sometimes, however, the messy structure simply feels messy. This creates an unusual balance in which the film's unpredictability is both a strength and a weakness.
Who Is Actually the Main Character?
Another problem is that & Sons never really seems to decide who we are supposed to follow as its main character.
Is it Andrew? His sons? Andy? Or perhaps the family as a whole?
In some ways, this fits the story, since the film is clearly interested in the relationships between all of these family members. But it also has a downside: it becomes rather difficult to decide which character you are actually supposed to empathize with.
That becomes even more complicated because the characters frequently find themselves directly opposed to one another. The film tries to show different sides of the family, but in doing so, it never quite establishes a single emotional anchor.
A Strong Cast Makes a Big Difference
Fortunately, & Sons has a cast that ensures the drama works more often than it doesn't.
Bill Nighy is particularly excellent as Andrew Dyer. In fact, I can hardly remember seeing an actor portray an alcoholic as convincingly as Nighy does in this film.
His body language, his way of speaking and especially the way he constantly moves between charm, arrogance, vulnerability and drunkenness make Andrew a fascinating character. Nighy also manages to give him just enough sympathy to keep him interesting without ever excusing his behaviour.
George MacKay, Johnny Flynn, Noah Jupe and Imelda Staunton also deliver strong performances. The problem, therefore, is not really with the actors, but with what the screenplay ultimately gives them to work with.
An Interesting Character Study, But Not Always Convincing Drama
As a character study, & Sons is more interesting than it is as a traditional drama.
The film clearly has something to say about family, expectations, fatherhood, legacy and the way people can continue hurting each other for years. The characters are interesting enough to keep watching, and the actors get a lot out of them.
What is sometimes missing, however, is sufficient development.
The characters don't always go through enough meaningful growth to make the drama consistently convincing. Particularly in the relationships between the different family members, it can sometimes feel as though everyone remains stuck in the same place.
That is a shame, because the setup makes it clear that the characters growing closer to one another is one of the film's central goals. Ultimately, however, they never quite manage to become close enough for the emotional impact of the story to fully land.
Originality Saves & Sons
And that brings us to the heart of & Sons.
The film works primarily because it manages to be original.
The unexpected twist keeps you interested. The messy structure gives the film a personality of its own. And Bill Nighy delivers an excellent performance.
On the other hand, there is an unclear focus, characters who don't always develop enough emotionally, and a twist that ultimately feels like it could have been explored much further.
That doesn't make & Sons a bad film. Quite the opposite. It is a film that regularly makes interesting choices and is therefore far less predictable than its premise would suggest. It simply doesn't always manage to turn its most interesting ideas into equally strong drama.
Rating: 6/10
