Mike Mills, writer/director of Beginners and 20th Century Women, returns with a new family drama C’mon C’mon, starring Joaquin Phoenix in his first film since his Oscar winning performance in Joker. A24 released the official trailer for the film, as it is coming off its world premiere at Telluride Film Festival over the Labor Day weekend.
The film also stars Woody Norman, who plays the 8-year-0ld nephew Jesse to Phoenix’s Johnny, who is a documentary filmmaker that is interviewing children across the U.S. about the state of affairs in the world for his latest project.
Beginners earned Christopher Plummer an Oscar for best supporting actor, and 20th Century Women earned Mills an original screenplay nomination. The trailer shows glimpses that follows in the same vein of those two feel good family dramas, with voiceover of Johnny reading Claire A. Nivola’s 2014 children’s book Star Child to Jesse before bed.
The film is shot in black and white by Marriage Story DP Robbie Ryan, so already Los Angeles looks lovely. As Johnny cries, Jesse notices it, and Johnny tries to hide it. They laugh, and we smile. We also want the film to come out now. The studio, which has produced art house darlings throughout the 2010s, is eyeing a November release.