Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

C'mon C'mon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 4, 2022

Though it was later co-opted as a standalone series hosted by a performer whose reputation has since taken a pretty serious drubbing, Kids Say the Darndest things began life as a recurring segment on Art Linkletter's House Party, a daily entertainment offering which kind of incredibly began life on radio in 1945 and continued being broadcast in that medium even after a television version was started in 1952. Also kind of incredibly, the radio version managed to last until 1967 and the television version until 1969, and, as indicated above, at least Kids Say the Darndest things has had a pretty substantial post-Linkletter shelf life, as many will no doubt remember (it's kind of interesting that aside from the former and now arguably disgraced host alluded to above, another revival featured a woman who is currently in the news as this review is being written vis a vis her reaction to a certain "incident" on the most recent Academy Awards). Linkletter was often able to coax astoundingly funny comments out of the mouths of tots, typically with more than a bit of a wink in his eye, but one of the subtexts of Kids Say the Darndest Things is how patently insightful young 'uns could be if they were simply allowed to freely express their thoughts. That kind of foundational element is at play throughout C'mon C'mon, an often intriguing if kind of formless film that features Joaquin Phoenix as a radio guy named Johnny who does in fact travel the United States in pursuit of interviews with younger folks. As writer and director Mike Mills gets into in his commentary included on this disc as a supplement, all of the interview segments seen in C'mon C'mon feature what Mills kind of jokingly refers to as "real children", though he overtly mentions how odd it is to call non-performers that. Mills also talks about wanting to invest his films with "texture" and differing approaches, and how he loved including a kind of quasi-documentary aspect to this outing, something that is perhaps subliminally supported by the film's evocative black and white cinematography.

There's a kind of funny moment, at least for those who love perceived subtext, in another supplement included on this disc which features both Mills and star Gaby Hoffmann, where Mills is sort of laughing about how people question how much improvisation was the order of the day (Mills toes a fine line between discussing a script that was "worked on" by everyone quite a bit, but where he was also open to stuff happening on the fly), and he then goes on to cite his supposedly clear direction to actors to mimic each other's hand movements in several key scenes after he had seen Woody tap his fingers on a table repeatedly. Somewhat hilariously (again for perceivers of subtext), Hoffmann responds by stating she doesn't remember if she came up with that idea first or was told to do it, in a perhaps none too subtle dig at Miller's own perception that he was completely in charge of things.

To steal a redolent phrase from a certain well known religious text, and again particularly with regard to how the whole "hand movement" motif of the film might have been started, it might be wise of Mills and Hoffmann not to squabble and to realize that "a little child shall lead them", since much of the dramatic weight of C'mon, C'mon aside and apart from any gesticulations (so to speak) lies squarely on the relatively tiny shoulders of remarkable Woody Norman, who plays Jesse, a little boy with some behavioral issues who is sent to live with his uncle, Johnny. Norman is a real highlight of this film, and I'm frankly kind of shocked that this "performance" (it's so nicely unmannered I almost hesitate to even call it by that term) hasn't attracted more attention.

Johnny's sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann), Jesse's mother, is dealing with issues of her own due to her husband's mental breakdown, and Johnny kind of reluctantly agrees to be Jesse's babysitter in order to lighten Viv's emotional load, at least for a little while. What follows is an often very low key, vignette driven affair that is undeniably naturalistic and (without any of the arguable socioeconomic aspects really in play) almost Neorealist in tone. The seeming "authenticity" of the interview segments in particular is probably aided and abetted by the participation of Radiolab's Molly Webster as a coworker of Johnny's named Roxanne. The whole interstitial interview element offers an obvious parallel to Johnny figuring out how to deal with and react to one kid in particular, and if there really isn't a clear, momentum based, traditional "narrative" at play, that may in fact be a more accurate representation of how parents and/or guardians actually feel when confronted with a mini human being with their own point of view.

C'mon C'mon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

C'mon C'mon is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of A24 and Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. Captured with Arri Alexa Minis and finished at 4K, this is an incredibly moody, lustrous presentation that has gorgeous and often really evocative cinematography. The film has a number of "self announced" locations, with some, like Detroit and Los Angeles, providing clear differentiations in terms of literally elemental things like weather and lighting conditions, and this transfer supports those changes effortlessly. Mills gets into his appreciation for cinematographer Robbie Ryan's work on the commentary track included on this disc, and the kind of subtle polish of the look here, while arguably maybe subliminally undercutting the story's perceived "verite" qualities, still is one of the most appealing aspects of C'mon C'mon in my estimation.

C'mon C'mon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

C'mon C'mon features a nicely immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that features good engagement of the side and rear channel courtesy of some of the effulgent cues by Aaron and Bryce Desser, along with a glut of rather eclectic source cues which can vary from classical to Motown. A number of outdoor scenes also provide good accountings of ambient environmental sounds. A lot of the film can play out either in more confined interview situations or on the phone, and as such some of the surround activity can be limited or on the subtle side. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

C'mon C'mon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Writer / Director Mike Mills


• Making C'mon C'mon (HD; 8:10) is an enjoyable piece with some fun (and perhaps unintentionally funny at times) interviews with Mike Mills, Gaby Hoffmann, Molly Webster, Jaboukie Young-White and the sweet Woody Norman, who talks about how much he learned from Joaquin Phoenix.

Additionally, a digital copy is included and packaging features a slipcover.

C'mon C'mon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Vis a vis nothing other than my personal curiosity, it's kind of interesting that this film is getting released via Lionsgate's traditional retailer strategy, while other A24 outings like Lamb and Midsommar's director's cut were deemed special enough to be A24 retailer exclusives (interestingly, Lionsgate released the theatrical version of Midsommar. This is certainly not of the same general "ilk" as the at least somewhat horror or fantasy infused Lamb and/or Midsommar, but in its own way I'd argue it's certainly as "special". Don't go into this experience expecting a traditional three act structure with a definitive "target" for its plot machinations, and instead simply enjoy a really appealing if kind of languid family tale that is often quite touching. Technical merits are solid and C'mon C'mon comes Recommended.