C’mon C’mon (2021)

Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they embark on a cross-country trip to see life away from Los Angeles.

There is a delightfulness to C’MON C’MON that makes it evoke a certain amount of pleasure despite it’s nearly two-hour runtime that makes the movie feel too long.

It’s a simple story on one level but, on a deeper level, it’s a subtle journey of an uncle and his nephew developing their relationship over a short trip to New York. Watching their transformation seems natural most of the time.

Phoenix and Norman are great on screen together and it is their intimate moments that are the best moments of the movie. How the director elicited the performance from Woody Norman is remarkable.

C’MON C’MON is dialogue rich and includes occasional actual footage of interviews that Phoenix had with children during the making of the movie. The experience watching this movie is very much like watching a documentary and, apart from the occasional contrivance, feels authentic.

C’MON C’MON feels very original and the black and white cinematography is beautiful and powerful.

C’MON C’MON is not going to be for everybody and, in my view, suffers from its length and pace. It’s a shame that it’s not more entertaining. It’s most certainly a movie where the journey is more important than the destination!

(In cinemas in Australia – check your movie guide for your local show times.)