The Timothée Chalamet movie inspired by a John Lennon song
Through his songwriting contributions to The Beatles and as a solo artist, John Lennon inspired countless budding musicians to pick up a guitar, a microphone, or even just a pen and paper. From David Bowie to Oasis, Lennon’s influence can be felt across the history of music. Perhaps more unexpectedly, though, it can also be found in the world of cinema.
The Beatles were well-acquainted with the silver screen. They first starred in the iconic A Hard Day’s Night in 1964, marking the first of five feature films centring on the Fab Four. Lennon also embarked upon his own film endeavours, venturing into acting in 1967 with How I Won the War and directing Imagine with Yoko Ono in 1972, but his impact on cinema was not limited to his own efforts.
Lennon’s output has continued to inspire cinematic ventures decades after his death, including Felix van Groeningen’s heartbreaking 2018 film Beautiful Boy, starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. Inspired by the real-life experiences of David Sheff and his son Nic, it tells a devastating story of addiction and family, borrowing its name from a heartfelt 1980 solo song by Lennon.
“Close your eyes, have no fear, the monster’s gone, he’s on the run, and your daddy’s here,” Lennon sings in ‘Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)’, accompanied by comforting, warm instrumentals. Spending time with the songwriter while completing his final major interview, Sheff was particularly taken by this track. Between listening to Lennon play it in the studio and to his own son, Sean, Sheff adopted the practice of singing the song to Nic.
As Nic grew up, his struggles with drug addiction led Sheff to write about his experiences, first for The New York Times, then later in a book which took its name from the song. “I named [the book] Beautiful Boy because Nic was my beautiful boy, and John’s song communicated everything it means to be a parent,” Sheff explained.
When Van Groeningen adapted the story to screen, the meaningful title was maintained, and its origin was depicted in a scene that shows Carell softly singing the song to a sleeping Chalamet. As a result of the scene and the film’s ode to the song, its impact has extended beyond Lennon, beyond Sheff, and into the lives of other families dealing with addiction.
“Since the book was published and then the movie was released,” Sheff shared, “I’ve heard from countless parents who also struggled or are struggling with their children’s drug use and addiction. A heartbreaking number have lost their kids. Many of these parents told me that John’s song had also become theirs: At night, they sang it to their beautiful boys and beautiful girls.”
Watch the scene below.
