6 Best Movies to Watch by Théodore Pellerin

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1. Boy Erased, 2018

	

Russel Crowe, Nicole Kidman, and the immensely talented young actor Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea) form an amazing pack of talent in this excellent drama. The story is based on the memoir by Garrard Conley, a true story. Set among deeply pious Christians in Arkansas, Hedges plays 18-year-old Jared Eamons, who discovers that he is gay. Crowe plays the father, a car dealer and a preacher, and Kidman the mom, who is a sweet-natured hairdresser with traditional values. When their son comes out to them after concealing his sexuality for some time, they pressure Jared into going to a Christian conversion camp, where his “lifestyle choice” is to be “prayed away”. The unspeakable camp is led by the Victor Sykes, who is as sinister as he is stupid, played with aplomb by Joel Edgerton, the writer and director. It's a funny sidenote to a serious movie that many actors in this Southern drama are from Australia, including Edgerton, Crowe, and Kidman as well as Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player extraordinaire, Flea, who plays a drill-instructor-type PE teacher at the camp. The powerful performances are indeed what drive this drama and they contribute significantly to telling a story that needed to be told.
Genre: Drama
Actor: Brasher Russell, Britton Sear, Cherry Jones, David Ditmore, David Joseph Craig, Drew Scheid, Emily Hinkler, Flea, Frank Hoyt Taylor, Jason Davis, Jesse LaTourette, Jesse Malinowski, Joe Alwyn, Joel Edgerton, Joy Jacobson, Kevin Linehan, Lindsey Moser, Lucas Hedges, Madelyn Cline, Malerie Grady, Matt Burke, Nicole Kidman, Paige Henry, Randy Havens, Russell Crowe, Théodore Pellerin, Tim Ware, Troye Sivan, Victor McCay, Will Kindrachuk, William Ngo, Xavier Dolan
Director: Joel Edgerton
Rating: R

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2. On Becoming a God in Central Florida, 2019

	
The American Dream thrives on people who work hard and dream big, even though success is almost never guaranteed. On Becoming a God in Central Florida points this out by brilliantly exposing how capitalist institutions exploit the desperation and naivete of those in need. There is, inevitably, a darkness to the story it tells, even though Krystal tries her best to outwit a system rigged against her. But showrunner Esta Spalding tells it with a campiness and magical weirdness that seems fitting for a show based in sun-soaked Florida. There is no shortage of incredible performances too from reliable veterans like Dunst and Skarsgård to relative newcomers like Théodore Pellerin, who plays the pyramid scheme FAM’s blind devotee. Not only does he hold his own, but his blind (and funny!) fanaticism often steals the show.Genre: Comedy
Actor: Beth Ditto, Kirsten Dunst, Mel Rodriguez, Ted Levine, Théodore Pellerin
Rating: TV-MA

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3. Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, 2024

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld gets many things right—the fashion is spectacular, the drama is gripping, and the details feel true to the time. It’s never over-the-top and cartoonish, which seems to be a problem in most other biopics. But for all it has going for it, Brühl is the real star of the show. He seems to operate on a level beyond his peers where he’s no longer acting but simply inhibiting. Lagerfeld is a distant and wealthy designer, unavailable even to those closest to him, but Brühl manages to ground him with deeply relatable traits, like bitter jealousy, crushing loneliness, and unapologetic ambition. He doesn’t need a big scene or wordy dialogue to get these across, either, just a flicker of the eyes will do the trick. The only downside to the show is the occasional uneven tone. It’s as if the directors were unsure how to maximize the wealth of material they have on hand, so they crammed and juggled as much as they could into six episodes. Still, if you’re a fan of period pieces, powerfully subtle performances, and luxury fashion, then you’re in for a treat.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Agnès Jaoui, Alex Lutz, Anouk Feral, Arnaud Valois, Daniel Brühl, Féodor Atkine, Jeanne Damas, Julia Faure, Lisa Kreuzer, Paul Spera, Sunnyi Melles, Théodore Pellerin, Victoire Du Bois

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4. Never Rarely Sometimes Always, 2020

This difficult movie is about a seventeen-year-old from the U.S. underclass who has to deal with an unplanned pregnancy. Autumn is creative, reserved, and quiet, but those are not qualities that her environment in rural Pennsylvania seems to value. On the opposite, she is surrounded by threats, including disturbing step-father and boss characters.

Dangers escalate as Autumn decides to travel to New York to have an abortion. Never Rarely Sometimes Always is about unplanned pregnancies as much as it is about just how dangerous it is to be a teenage girl living in America.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Amy Tribbey, Brian Altemus, Carolina Espiro, Christian Clements, David Buneta, Denise Pillott, Drew Seltzer, Eliazar Jimenez, Lizbeth MacKay, Mia Dillon, Ryan Eggold, Salem Murphy, Sam Dugger, Sharon Van Etten, Sidney Flanigan, Sipiwe Moyo, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin, Théodore Pellerin

Director: Eliza Hittman

Rating: PG-13

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5. It's Only the End of the World, 2019

Based on a play and taking place in the span of one afternoon, It’s Only the End of the World is about a successful writer returning to his hometown in rural Canada baring life-altering news. But before he can share anything, he is faced with the remnants of his life prior to moving out and his family members’ eccentric, but relatable, personalities. This is a movie by one of the most interesting directors working today, Canadian Xavier Dolan. Contrary to his plot-heavy Mommy (which earned him the Cannes Jury Prize at 25 years old), in It’s Only the End of the World the story unfolds in a far more important way. It’s an exploration of dynamics: between brother and sister, between son and mother, between brothers, etc. Don’t go into it expecting things to happen, or waiting for what will happen in the end. Instead, the purpose of this film can be found in how Xavier Dolan handles his usual themes of family through big talent: Mario Cotillard, Vincent Cassel, and Léa Seydoux among many others.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Antoine Desrochers, Arthur Couillard, Gaspard Ulliel, Jenyane Provencher, Léa Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, Nathalie Baye, Patricia Tulasne, Sasha Samar, Stephan Dubeau, Théodore Pellerin, Vincent Cassel, William Boyce Blanchette

Director: Xavier Dolan

Rating: N/A, Not Rated

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6. Franklin, 2024

	
With the successful release of Manhunt and Masters of the Air in the last couple of months, it looks like Franklin is set to be Apple TV+’s first miss in the historical drama department. Though the lead is based on a Founding Father and played by a revered actor, the series lacks the spark that elevates mere history lessons into riveting stories. Douglas seems bored, the script feels lackluster, and the pace is way too slow to compete with other more compelling period dramas. It’s a baffling miss, considering Douglas has in the past dazzled as Liberace, and director Tim Van Patten has similarly won acclaim for a string of HBO shows. But maybe it’s a sign of a burgeoning glut. Given Franklin’s rushed feel, perhaps Apple TV+ should take it slow and go back to its quality over quantity philosophy.Genre: Drama, War & Politics
Actor: Assaad Bouab, Daniel Mays, Ludivine Sagnier, Michael Douglas, Noah Jupe, Théodore Pellerin, Thibault de Montalembert
Rating: TV-MA

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