'My Son (2021)' is an experimental film in which a man returns to Scotland after receiving news that his son has gone missing. James McAvoy apparently improvises every scene he's in (which is most of them), forced to fumble his way around a plot which he doesn't know and actors who have the knowledge he is deprived of. Some scenes seem as though they must have been more controlled than others (for instance, when the protagonist decides to beat someone up or does a bit of self-led investigation) and others still must have been filmed more than once (McAvoy has recounted a time in which he decided to climb a tree and was told that this decision was "stupid" by the director). For the most part, McAvoy manages to make his way through the picture not only without cracking up, but also without delivering anything less than a cohesive and believable performance. He is mostly a passenger in his own story, which is somewhat frustrating but also encapsulates the feeling of being caught up in a devastating situation without the ability to truly affect it. He occasionally hesitates to take action, too (presumably for fear of ruining a take). Of course, the film is also peppered with generally awkward and clumsy moments that stem from its unusual approach to its material, but it's relatively easy to forgive these flaws when you keep in mind just how difficult it must be to ad-lib an entire movie. However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if its experimental nature actually warrants any extra lenience. After all, the filmmakers decided that this was the best way to tell their story and, at times, their unorthodox method definitely impacts that story in a negative way. Having said that, most of the problems with the piece don't actually stem from its most obvious gimmick. Instead, they arise from the fact that the underlying narrative is paced pretty poorly, structured somewhat strangely and is generally rather generic overall. The first half is pretty much a straightforward drama, while the second steers the story into thriller territory. Both segments carry a strong sense of realism, but they seem at odds with one another when it comes to defining the flick's overall intention. The actual plot is barebones and stuffed with coincidences, far less involving than a thriller really ought to be. Furthermore, several plot elements are introduced and then almost immediately dropped, which exactly doesn't make for a particularly satisfying experience. The more you reflect on the piece, the more hollow it seems. Its actual ending is a real dud, too. Still, it's not as if the picture is entirely unsuccessful. As I mentioned earlier, McAvoy turns in really respectable work and pretty much carries the entire film on his shoulders, which is all the more impressive considering he has no idea what's actually going on most of the time. The finale is also really suspenseful, a grounded and engaging game of cat and mouse with solid stakes and a steady execution. The movie has a decently effective emotional underpinning and it features some surprisingly striking cinematography - primarily when it comes to composition and lighting - that somehow doesn't immediately signal that the camera operators don't actually always know where their star is going to end up. Ultimately, though, I can't imagine watching this without knowing its experimental gimmick. That foreknowledge makes the feature much more interesting than it actually is, prompting forgiveness of its flaws and admiration of its execution. It's impressive that the film turned out well at all considering how much could have gone wrong. When you think about it, though, it shouldn't be noteworthy that a movie is "good enough", no matter what gimmick it employs. After all, the filmmakers decided to make things harder on themselves, to use an unorthodox and difficult method presumably in the pursuit of good art. Why would you go through all that extra stress if the result wasn't going to be dramatically improved by it? With a bit more planning, this could've been something really special; as I mentioned before, the underlying story is more of an issue than its actual execution. If the flick wasn't largely improvised, I suspect it would've slipped straight onto 'Amazon Prime' without much fanfare (although, to be fair, it hasn't received much attention as it is). It's good enough for what it is, but it could've been much better. Still, it's worth watching if its USP is intriguing to you. 6/10.
