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Hillbilly Elegy
2020 117 min United States of America R 18+
★6.2
Drama
Director: Ron Howard
🎭 Based on
«Hillbilly Elegy»
byJD Vance
Trailers
Description
An urgent phone call pulls a Yale Law student back to his Ohio hometown, where he reflects on three generations of family history and his own future.
Starring
Amy Adams
Actor
Glenn Close
Actor
Gabriel Basso
Actor
Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021
— Best Supporting Actress
Razzie Awards 2021
— Worst Director
Razzie Awards 2021
— Worst Screenplay
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 2021
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Academy Awards 2021
— Best Supporting Actress
Razzie Awards 2021
— Worst Supporting Actress
Golden Globe 2021
— Best Supporting Actress
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021
— Best Actress
Key opinion
Hillbilly Elegy is a polarising family drama that centers on the volatile relationships between three generations. While many viewers and critics praise the powerhouse performances of Glenn Close and Amy Adams, the film's narrative execution is often criticized as being overly melodramatic, formulaic, or lacking depth.
| Acting | Glenn Close and Amy Adams deliver standout, awards-caliber performances that anchor the emotional core of the film. | |
| Score | Hans Zimmer’s score and the sharp cinematography effectively immerse the viewer in the Appalachian setting. | |
| Theme | The film utilizes a dual-timeline structure that effectively highlights the protagonist's struggle to transcend his upbringing. | |
| Screenplay | The script leans into formulaic melodrama, with some viewers finding the plot development predictable and the family dynamics repetitive. | |
| Theme | The film's depiction of the 'American Dream' and working-class struggle is seen by some as a profound, resonant exploration, while others dismiss it as artificial or politically calculated. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the pacing are split: some find the narrative momentum engaging and dynamic, while others feel the exposition drags or the editing creates a disjointed experience. |