X
- 2016
- PG-13
- Great Point Media
- 1 h 41 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- Great Point Media
- 1 h 41 m
Summary Walt (Clive Owen), a down-on-his luck carpenter, is tasked with entertaining his eight-year-old son Anthony (Jaeden Lieberher) while Anthony’s mom (Maria Bello) and her new husband are away. But when Walt’s prized toolbox is stolen, a quiet father-and-son weekend turns into an adventure of a lifetime. Aided by an oddball drywall repairma...
Directed By: Bob Nelson
Written By: Bob Nelson
- 2016
- PG-13
- Great Point Media
- 1 h 41 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- Great Point Media
- 1 h 41 m
The Confirmation
65
6.6
Where to Watch
Summary Walt (Clive Owen), a down-on-his luck carpenter, is tasked with entertaining his eight-year-old son Anthony (Jaeden Lieberher) while Anthony’s mom (Maria Bello) and her new husband are away. But when Walt’s prized toolbox is stolen, a quiet father-and-son weekend turns into an adventure of a lifetime. Aided by an oddball drywall repairma...
Directed By: Bob Nelson
Written By: Bob Nelson
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
65
82% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
18% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 11 Critic Reviews
65
82% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
18% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The Confirmation is a powerful directorial debut from 59-year-old writer Bob Nelson, who received an Oscar nomination for his first screenplay, Nebraska.
The Confirmation isn’t much to look at, and its rhythms are wobbly (the quest narrative starts to feel strained early on), but Nelson is a dogged enough dramatist that even the story’s resolutions—even the really pat and obvious ones—are satisfyingly earned.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 User Ratings
6.6
53% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
40% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
7% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 15 User Ratings
6.6
53% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
40% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
7% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
This beautiful movie of the love of a father for his young son and their endearing relationship reminds us of the great value of highly-skilled tradesmen. Struggling to overcome alcoholism, this skilled carpenter's earning power is totally destroyed when his tools are stolen. Not only are his tools his trade, they are the memory of his own father, handed down from father to son. Thus, this movie is certainly not a comedy (how could anyone say that?) as father and son seek their return. Their ensuing adventures strike true to anyone who grew up with a loving tradesman as their dad. Thank you for this movie; its low-key strength of acting and theme is worthy of much higher ratings than it has yet received.
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Usually I look for spy thrillers or murder mysteries, but occasionally I try out a movie that promises to be of "human interest" hoping it will be engaging (and bracing myself for something corny). Well, The Confirmation delivered completely and beyond my expectations. All the actors are impeccable, from the main star, Clive Owen, with deeply ingrained imperfection guided by decency playing the father of the kid, down to smaller parts -- Maria Bello, nicely filling out her role as a pious Catholic without any of the usual Hollywood snarkiness one is tired of seeing; Stephen Tobolowsky, known for his outrageous role as producer Stu Baggs on "Californication", here playing the Catholic priest who hears the kid's confessions and who plays the part sincerely (thank God!) and yet comically; Patton Oswalt as a dubious friend of Clive Owen's investing his small part with a touching streak of a loser; the fine Robert Forster as a reliable friend who helps out; and lastly Matthew Modine perfectly filling out the role of the well-meaning stepfather of the kid. Perhaps most remarkable is the actor who plays the kid, Jaeden Lieberher -- one hasn't seen a young kid act this well since the gold standard of the precocious child actor, Haley Joel Osment. All these actors and the director, Bob Nelson, combine to create a poignantly circumscribed, human story that while being searingly honest about human flaws, opens up breathing space for something worth living for: the love of a father and mother for their son.
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A surprisingly sweet-spirited picture about a man’s redemption and a boy’s initiation into the ways of the world.
The movie's not just good but moving, funny and true to the way people actually live in hard-times America.
One of the selling points of The Confirmation is how it steers clear of melodrama or tidy perfection in favor of a taste of life on the margins, where even living paycheck to paycheck would be a luxury.
In this case two mesmerizing performances by Clive Owen and his astounding co-star, a remarkably adroit child actor named Jaeden Lieberher, who is going places fast.
The premise is undermined by the film's occasionally dubious ethics and its tendency to soft-pedal the dangerous situations it sets up.
Coming-of-age: A boy's real world encounter.
For the first time direction, it is not a bad film. The 'Nebraska' writer did his best and I'm totally surprised how this little Canadian gem was not recognised extensively. In fact, it is one of the best films of the year among the PG13 ratings. A drama about a divorced freelance carpenter who babysits his son on a weekend, adventuring the city while preparing for his work on the Monday. When someone stole his tools, they both go after to look who took it and that takes the whole film to cover with some other small events on the side.
Truly a heartwarming drama. You can compare it to films like 'The Pursuit of Happiness', but it had its own way dealing with the story contents. This is not a comedy, but slightly it is fun, as well as inspiring. It narrates the world is full of good and bad, and how we react to them accordingly. Particularly the main character who was desperate to come out of the bad day and to have some quality time with his son. It actually stayed neutral on the topics like theism and atheism, which has some influence in the narration, but revolved carefully around the social and other issues. So that makes there are more things to care about than fighting for nonsenses. That was really a good thing to focus on, maybe that's why I loved it.
The opening and the end take place in the same location, but the difference was the 24 hours and its events. During that time, a boy who was struggling between what his mother believes and his doubts over those beliefs were somewhat influenced to clear his mind. I mean it was not intentional, the film to explain us through the boy, but they were described in the way of someone's daily life base, except it was not an ordinary day for him/them. It was a quite interesting take, and in the current world scenario, this is a wonderful theme for a film which also has high entertainment value.
"Well, I don't know what kind of trouble he can get in in a day."
I don't know the Christian commandment (or any religious's equivalent) that referred in it, especially the meaning of the title, but according to the writer, he wanted to tell what happens **** behaving young boy breaks all the rule in just one day. Besides, a bit of his own life experience, as well as the outline was inspired by 'Bicycle Thieves'. I don't know how the religious people take it, but I enjoyed it, kind of it is an awareness theme about the reality of the human world. So my disappointment is not the film, but how it was received. Once again an English film from the other region was turned down by the Americans. I hope the rest of the world won't react same way.
It revolved between a father and son characters, so the side contributions were good, but does not require any praise. The Clive Owen, who I consider an ordinary actor was brilliant in this. He is not in any film franchise, especially the current trends superheroes and/or sci-fi, though happy to see him in such a beautiful one-off film. The boy was equally good, especially after the good show from 'St. Vincent', this is his another great character display. Looks like he's going to be a big name in the future.
You can't believe it is just a 2 million dollar film. Great production quality with good performances, a better outcome than usual film with the same production value. From my perspective, it is an underrated film and also an undernoticed film. A fine film for everyone, particularly for the family audience. These are reasons why children as well should watch it, like there are no sexual or drug related material in it. Though the real reason is there are some contents that might help them to understand about such as financially struggling and sober parents, the reality of the society and as a coming-of-age film, it always kept its priorities on the top while narrating the tale, especially from the children's viewpoint.
8/10
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Another movie about the struggles of the working class. Clive is a craftsman carpenter, out of work in today's economy because not many can afford fancy woodworking. He gets a job offer for Monday but his specialty tools are stolen. But that's just the story line to keep the movie flowing. The real story is his non-relationship with his son, who lives with his mother, and what happens over the weekend as they search for his tools.
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[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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I really liked this movie. It's a small film but is well done. Some reviewers have said it's inconsequential but I think it is quite meaningful in showing what people today are up against, struggling to get by. That's not the main point of the film but is subtext. Very worthwhile movie!
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Production Company
Bungalow Media + Entertainment,
Lighthouse Pictures,
Sapphire Fire Limited
Release Date Mar 18, 2016
Duration 1 h 41 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline Written and Directed by the Oscar Nominated Writer of ''Nebraska'', Bob Nelson.
Awards
Leo Awards
• 4 Nominations
