Netflix today debuted an emotionally-charged HILLBILLY ELEGY trailer, Ron Howard's upcoming drama starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close that looks as if it graduated summa cum laude from Tear-Jerker University.
Based on J.D. Vance’s #1 New York Times Bestseller and directed by Academy Award-winner Ron Howard, HILLBILLY ELEGY is a powerful personal memoir that offers a window into one family’s personal journey of survival and triumph. By following three colorful generations through their unique struggles, J.D.’s family story explores the highs and lows that define his family’s experience.
Here's the official synopsis, per Netflix:
J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso), a former Marine from southern Ohio and current Yale Law student, is on the verge of landing his dream job when a family crisis forces him to return to the home he’s tried to forget. J.D. must navigate the complex dynamics of his Appalachian family, including his volatile relationship with his mother Bev (Amy Adams), who’s struggling with addiction. Fueled by memories of his grandmother Mamaw (Glenn Close), the resilient and whip-smart woman who raised him, J.D. comes to embrace his family’s indelible imprint on his own personal journey.
Joining Adams and Close for the intense family drama are Gabriel Basso (SUPER 8, THE KINGS OF SUMMER), Haley Bennett (THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN), Freida Pinto (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, IMMORTALS), Bo Hopkins (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, AMERICAN GRAFFITI), and Owen Asztalos (PATERSON, Jessica Jones). Vanessa Taylor, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter for SHAPE OF WATER, wrote the script. The film also features music composed by Hans Zimmer and David Fleming.
While I don't know that I'm in the market for a soul-crushing drama at the moment, I must admit that HILLBILLY ELEGY looks like it could be a very powerful film. Plus, I love when makeup artists go the extra mile to make actors look nigh-unrecognizable. Sure, you can still see Adams and Close if you look hard enough, but dag, yo.
HILLBILLY ELEGY will be released on Netflix and in select theaters on November 24.