Life is an endless journey without a destination or clear goals. And so Joaquin Phoenix in the new drama 'C'mon C'mon' from A24 explores the world, but through the eyes of children, while becoming more mature, empathetic, and wiser.

Journalist Johnny is preparing a project in which he travels around American cities and records children's thoughts on the problems of the modern world, plans for the future, relationships with people, fears, and hopes. He has been living somewhat drearily and sadly for the past year, until his sister Viv asks him to look after her nine-year-old son Jesse. Johnny, who has barely spoken to his nephew, agrees to babysit the boy for a couple of days, which unexpectedly stretch into a week. As a result, the adult's vacation with the child turns into a sincere and touching story about acceptance, forgiveness, and humility.

C'mon C'mon is a film-dialogue where the main thing is not what is done, but what is said or left unsaid. Grieving the death of his mother and a breakup with his beloved woman, not knowing what to do with a child, Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) looks lost in this world of people. Interviews with children become his attempt to make sense of life. However, it is the uncomfortable conversations with his nine-year-old nephew, played by the wonderful Woody Norman, that bring clarity to his days and help him find some bearings. "Why do you rarely talk to mom?", "Why are you lonely?", "Why don't you have children?" — questions rain down on the hero, who is used to being on the other side of the microphone and ignoring reflections on such topics.

Director Mike Mills began preparing the script for C'mon C'mon in two stages: before and after the birth of his son. The new experience of fatherhood helped him feel how life is restructured with the arrival of a child, when others' needs become more important than one's own. He carefully transferred all this knowledge to the screen and expressed it through the relationship between Johnny and Jesse, who argue, quarrel, and try to find common ground not only with each other but also with the world. C'mon C'mon is a story about an adult egoist with a nine-year-old boy who learns patience, compromise, honesty, and the ability to talk rather than walk away. And gradually, two strangers become a real family.

Mike Mills' new drama turned out to be remarkably warm, bright, and lively for a monochrome film. It's as if the director chose black-and-white so that the viewer would not be distracted by the picture, but could fully immerse themselves in the story and feel the moments along with the characters.

The sense of involvement is enhanced by the documentary format of filming conversations with children featuring Joaquin Phoenix. "What makes you happy?", "What would you say to adults?", "How do you see the future?" — in the interviews, they share their experiences, dreams, and views of the world. Listening to them, you realize that the young interlocutors have more empathy and compassion than any adult who has become calloused and rigid after disappointments and losses. This inadvertently hints that we can learn a lot from those under 15 if we pay attention to them.

"C'mon C'mon" is a phrase that Jesse writes down for Johnny, as if encouraging his uncle on this long journey of life, where sometimes you have to break through walls of misunderstanding and indifference. An unexpectedly profound message comes from a nine-year-old boy who may not have meant it that way at all. And in the open ending, the director allows everyone to decide for themselves what the phrase "c'mon c'mon" means.

The film is being distributed in Russia by A-One.