‘C’mon C’mon’ is an exceptionally quiet movie, but it has a lot to say

Posted on December 17, 2021

By MARK VIOLA

There have been countless large, loud, big-budget movies that, despite their size and scope, are, in the words of Macbeth, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Then there are films that are almost microscopic in comparison — small, quiet, pondering stories that are unexpectedly profound, speaking truth into the void, unconcerned how few might actually hear it.

I went into the new black-and-white film “C’mon C’mon,” starring Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”), without really knowing what to expect, only knowing for sure that it starred one of my favorite actors and the early buzz about it was quite positive.

Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t what I ultimately experienced, which was an almost uncomfortable moment of self-reflection. As with any film, I can’t say that everyone will respond to “C’mon C’mon” the same as I did, but for me, it was overwhelmingly positive.

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