Hesher

I was watching HBO one day, waiting for a movie to come on, when a commercial played for the channel. It showed a bunch of different movies to be played later on that month. In it was Hesher. I wrote down the movie title, and I'm glad I did, seeing as the movie is a new favorite of mine.

Hesher tells the tale of a young boy named T.J. (Devin Brochu), his father Paul (Rainn Wilson), and his grandmother Madeleine (Piper Laurie). Together they are a family of three who recently lost T.J.'s mother and Paul's wife in a car accident.

On the way to school one day, T.J. takes a shortcut through what seems to be a development, full of half-finished houses. T.J. falls off his bike and, angrily, throws a rock through a glass window of one of the houses being constructed. This is where he meets Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who had been squatting in the house.

Upset at T.J., Hesher begins to follow him around until he finally decides to move in with T.J. and his family. The movie continues on with Hesher and his antics that involve the family and later on Nicole (Natalie Portman), a store clerk who saves T.J. from a bully one day.

Hesher is rated R. Netflix says this is due to “disturbing violent behavior, sexual content including graphic dialogue, pervasive language, and drug content - some in the presence of a child.”

Here's why I rate it R:

  • Violence
  • Blood (not a lot, just a bit)
  • Sexual themes
  • Cursing (a lot of it)
  • Witnessing a car accident (some might find that disturbing, I can understand that)
  • Death
  • Drug and alcohol use

It is an indie movie, and not well known, but I recommend it to everyone. It does have dark themes, but I think it tells a great tale of family and friendship and some love – even if those themes don't seem that apparent at all. There are a few funny bits to lighten up the movie every now and then, which is also a plus.

The movie is an hour and forty minutes, and was released in 2011.

I think it would be worth everyone's while to give this movie a try.

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