'Hillbilly Elegy': An incredibly haunting yet hopeful tale

After reading this J.D. Vance novel several years ago, two main thoughts came to mind: first, that the book was two to three times longer than it should have been, or needed to be, to convey the message it did, and secondly, and far more importantly, in spite of that mistake the core message was one of the most forthcoming and realistic portrayals of a deeply embedded life-style and culture that not only persists in America, but one that is thoroughly entrenched – far beyond what many other citizens here may think or are even aware.

With the great Ron Howard at the directorial helm of this adapted film version of the novel, an abundance of optimism reigned for what he might deliver. Fortunately, for everyone, and most notably the viewer, the master [Howard], once again, rose to the occasion – crisply, and in extremely raw and straightforward fashion, laying out this unsettling and very unnerving tale.

While there are, in reality, three key figures in this story, it is told from the son’s perspective, commencing with his life as a young boy, and then following a literal hellish and roller-coaster like journey, culminating in life at an Ivy league law-school and early adulthood – portions of which many children growing up through puberty could relate to, though other aspects would clearly be completely foreign.

The older JD Vance is played by an unknown to me (Gabriel Basso), as was the actor playing him in his childhood (Owen Asztalos), the latter of the two being far more notable – his awkward and fumbling demeanor, genuinely fearful, as well as insecure moments, presenting some of the definitively memorable and hair-raising highlights of the film.

His grandmother and mother are depicted through the ever-spectacular Glenn Close and the equally gifted Amy Adams, respectively. Both of them are hard to recognize – Close in particular – due to superb makeup, hairstyles, wardrobe and, in the case of Adams, weight gain for the role. While Adams is very respectable as Vance’s mom (Bev), never seeming to disappoint, it was Close (as Mamaw, the grandmother) that truly steals the show – with what can only be described as yet another echelon of her simply unlimited creativity, uncanny ability to adapt herself in extraordinarily versatile roles and simply put, unmatched brilliance.

Vance’s sister and girlfriend (Haley Bennett and Frida Pinto, respectively) also render laudable efforts – in particular Bennett as Vance’s sister.

The story, which Howard rather agilely moves back and forth from Ohio to Kentucky (Vance’s two locales growing up), as well as seamlessly navigating from past to present and back again – the latter process often times the demise of an otherwise great story – is in quintessential Howard form, harrowing, truthful and, somewhat contrary to one of the film’s integral themes, quite sobering.

As the story evolves, one witnesses the extraordinary struggles that Vance has to contend with growing up – far above and beyond the completely normal “teenage diversions and pitfalls” that many or most encounter: fitting in with friends, adjusting or adapting to peer pressures, as well as and, probably most importantly, managing to find a “balanced and focused life direction” under these circumstances.

Howard’s depiction of Vance attempting to navigate his life, having had very sketchy parenting – which completely understates the unhealthy and harsh environment in which he grew up and what he had to see – is an exceptional model of a life that far too many children endure, and in an absolutely grassroots-fashion highlights the Mount Everest-like obstacles that it will take to overcome these many adversities.

Of course, there were a few issues with the film, ones that seemed to subside a bit after watching it a second time.

Always a “pet peeve” when viewing any film, bad language, even though it was somewhat expected here – and one could argue it is actually a representative facet of this backdrop – nevertheless, it does pervade throughout. It seemed less frequent and offensive during a second viewing, but it still helped to detract from the film’s otherwise notable qualities – as it still seems very possible to express a film’s dialogue without such profanity (a little more on that later).

Moreover, a couple of rather obvious, what appeared to be typical “politically or socially” correct Hollywood-like elements are injected into the film – at least one of which, by the way, didn’t lineup with the book – and one in particular seemed excruciatingly out-of-place and, to be quite frank, implausible or, at the very least, highly unlikely to have transpired.

Finally, while most of the writing is seamless and timely, there is a notable lack of explanation, of a series of events, detailing how Vance “pulls himself up by the bootstraps” and manages to climb out of the morass.

While certainly deemed a quality film after the first viewing, its impact, as well as the profound marks it leaves, only increase after seeing it again. Howard’s incredibly cohesive rendition of this absolutely gritty story, alongside the epic performances of both Close and the young Asztalos, as well as the film's rather eye-opening depiction about a significant segment of America's society – whether intentional or otherwise – make this one of the finest films of the year, a period, of course, where there have been far fewer to pick from than normal.

By the way, any viewer that enjoyed "Hillbilly Elegy" should make sure to watch "Winter’s Bone" as well – another film of a very similar ilk and setting, that is even better, and manages to deliver its message without profanity.

Both are must see films.