The considerable buzz surrounding this romantic story about the potential for love and art to overcome obstacles has been noticeable, but ultimately the movie doesn't quite manage to fulfill its lofty goals. John Carney directs and wrote this film, which centers on Flora (Eve Hewson), a working-class single mother from Dublin with some questionable choices who is having difficulty raising her teenage son, Max (Orén Kinlan). However, the narrative often meanders through several different plotlines, initially seeming shaky but eventually softening into an overly sentimental resolution – a stretch, considering how difficult it is to like or respect the main characters. Flora’s growing interest in music serves as the catalyst for this shift, sparked largely by her online connection with Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a detached guitar teacher from Los Angeles, a relationship that feels predictable and not entirely believable. Throughout the story, the film gets weighed down by things like Max's repetitive but unconvincing displays of defiance, Flora’s complicated history with her former husband, Ian (Jack Reynor), and several lengthy, dull conversations between Flora and Jeff intended to be emotionally resonant. The movie does have some sharp lines and a standout performance from Hewson, but it often seems unsure of its direction, falling back on tired plot devices to reach the end. “Flora and Son” unfortunately joins the ranks of films that would have been improved by more work before release, a recurring issue with many movies this year.

Source on TMDB