If You Read Beautiful Boy, Keep an Eye Out For These 3 Things in the Movie
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Warning: spoilers about both the Beautiful Boy book and movie ahead.
From the moment Steve Carell's face appeared on screen during the opening scene of Beautiful Boy, I knew it was going to be a tearful two hours. The highly anticipated movie is based on David Sheff's memoir of the same title and his son's memoir, Tweak. Both stories take readers on the tumultuous journey of struggling with a drug addiction and the repercussions it has on the addict's loved ones. For Nic, played by Timothée Chalamet in the movie, methamphetamine took control of his young adult life and transformed him into a mere shell of his lovable former self.
While it's of course difficult to include every detail of two very deep, decade-encompassing stories within two hours, director Felix Van Groeningen does an incredible job of telling these personal stories in a raw and realistic way. Ahead, find three details that only readers of the books or those with a keen eye to detail will be able to see from Beautiful Boy, and then check out 17 heart-wrenching books about addiction.
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Jasper's $8
It's one of the most heartbreaking scenes of the movie: Nic's step-siblings, Jasper and Daisy, are fighting because Jasper's "savings" disappeared and he blames his younger sister. It's clear to the viewers (and to David) that Nic is responsible for this horrible act. Although he denies stealing from his brother, the conversation leads to an outburst and Nic eventually leaves the house. While the movie doesn't further explain what happened to Jasper's money, in the book and in real life, Nic ends up returning the $8 with an emotional note in the mail.
"I'm looking for a way to say I'm sorry more than with just the meaninglessness of those two words. I also know that this money can never replace all that I stole from you in terms of the fear and worry and craziness that I brought to your young life. The truth is, I don't know how to say I'm sorry. I love you, but that has never changed. I care about you, but I always have. I'm proud of you, but none of that makes it any better. I guess what I can offer you is this: As you're growing up, whenever you need me — to talk or just whatever — I'll be able to be there for you now. That is something that I could never promise you before. I will be here for you. I will live, and build a life, and be someone that you can depend on. I hope that means more than this stupid note and these eight dollar bills."
It's a powerful moment in the memoir when both Jasper and David realize that Nic is truly committed to fighting his addiction, and although it wasn't included in the movie, it's something Jasper (and the readers) will always remember.
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Nic's Journals
In his memoir, David Sheff describes the incredibly vivid and harrowing images he found in his son's journals. There are breakdowns of the specific amount of each drug he has consumed, dark drawings of monsters with quotes about death, and many confessions about his addiction that he could never bear to say out loud at the time. While Nic's memoir, Tweak, was written based on his journal entries, the end credits of the movie reveal the truth behind Nic's onscreen journals.
Although Chalamet is deeply immersed in these drawings and confessions in the movie, the credits explain that the journal artwork was created by Nic's real brother, Jasper Sheff. With just a quick look at his Instagram account, we can see that Jasper is a seriously talented artist, so the fact that he was able to create these works of art for a movie about his brother's life proves how intimate and true to life the story is.
Karen's Artwork
Similar to Nic's journal entries, the credits of the movie also reveal that Nic's stepmom, Karen Barbour (impressively portrayed by Maura Tierney), allowed producers to use her actual artwork in the Beautiful Boy movie. Karen's artwork in their Marin County home is seen not only as her creative escape from the reality of her stepson's addiction and the impact it has on her husband, but also as a true inside look into how talented she is. In the book, Sheff describes his wife's artistic skills so beautifully, and the movie absolutely brings it to life. Seeing Karen's real artwork is such a special and personal add-on to the already emotional film.