The Son director addresses criticism of film’s portrayal of mental health issues

Drama starring Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern has been savaged by critics

The director ofThe Son has hit back against claims that the film is inauthentic in its depiction of mental health issues.

Starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and Anthony Hopkins, the film focuses on a couple whose teenaged son (played by Zen McGrath) starts experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Directed by Florian Zeller, the filmmaker known for his Oscar-winning 2021 drama The Father, The Son has been received poorly by critics.

In a one-star review for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “There are no ill intentions behind The Son, but sometimes stories are so badly judged and naive in their execution that they turn ugly. That becomes especially clear when Zeller’s film reaches its conclusion, one telegraphed so early and with such gracelessness that it’s borderline parodic.”

Speaking to the Radio Times, Zeller addressed criticisms of the film, and outlined some of the research that had gone into making it.

“It was coming from a personal place, so this is something that was not foreign to me,” he said. “Of course, cinema is about trying to catch something real, so we worked with a lot of American psychiatrists to make sure that we were close to reality.

“Some people were not certain in the end that it was that authentic because I think that... you know, we are talking a lot about mental health issues but I still feel that we are not comfortable talking about it, even though we are using that expression all the time,” he continued.

“And I was surprised in the US, for example, that we worked with this association named NAMI, the biggest Mental Health Association in the country and they were very supportive of the film – saying that it’s so close to what they are experiencing every day. But somehow, I found that some people had trouble to imagine that it was authentic or real.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.