This is a film experience in which the tension makes viewers uneasy . The issue of mental health and the associated acceptance of errors poses challenges. The story demonstrates that people we love can also make mistakes. Eric LaRue is one of the most dramatic, vivid, and powerful films I have seen directed by Michael Shannon. The film includes many strong and realistic elements which make it anxiety producing.

The film focuses on Janice LaRue (played by Judy Greer). She is the mother of a son who shot and killed three boys. Her son is Eric (played by Nation Sage Henrikson). Janice’s life is at an impasse due to her son’s actions. Her husband Ron (played by Alexander Skarsgard) tries to lean on religion to help him cope with their son’s tragedy. Ultimately, Janice struggles to adapt to a life filled with guilt and hatred after her son’s lethal mistake. The film is a poetic journey of life after a devastating tragedy. The story leaves a trail of difficult questions along the way.

Eric LaRue hit an emotional chord with me because it was so realistic. As someone who has faced struggles during various periods in my own life, the film raised my curiosity about how to be stronger after experiencing a traumatic event in life. The movie was full of humanistic elements which ranged from devastating to encouraging. Most parts of the film may leave audiences emotionally drained. However, some viewers may also hope for a revelation in the tragic aftermath at the center of the film.

From my vantage point, I believe the film portrays that there are ways in which parents can learn from their children. This can be true even if the choices their children make negatively impact others. Janice realizes that Eric has suffered with some mental issues and feelings of disconnect. She never imagined the worst-case scenario. Just because Eric did something terrible, it does not mean he is a terrible person. Still, he has to suffer the consequences for his behavior.

Janice’s life does not have to be ruined forever, and she does not have to hate herself forever. She needs to learn to navigate the harshness of her reality after the choices her son has made. There is still a world of different possibilities for Janice, for Eric, and for life moving forward for everyone in the film. Shannon’s is poetic in the way that it brings out natural human emotions. Eric LaRue changed my perspective on the realism displayed in movies. This experience made me realize how much one individual’s world can have a dramatic impact upon others while also allowing for light somewhere at the end of the tunnel.

Eric LaRue is not for everyone. Despite the sadness of the serious topic explored in the film, it does leave a positive message which I related to and appreciated. The film is an emotional roller coaster and a one-of-a-kind drama that will touch viewers in different ways. Three out of four stars.