Hillbilly Elegy follows J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso), a Yale law student whose promising future is interrupted by a family crisis that forces him to return to his hometown in Appalachia. Through a series of flashbacks, we witness a childhood marked by addiction, domestic violence, poverty, instability and the fierce love of his grandmother, Mamaw (Glenn Close), who becomes the one steady influence in his life.
As J.D. struggles to balance his mother’s (Amy Adams) recent overdose and the future he has worked so hard to build, the film explores the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma, addiction and family dysfunction. It raises difficult questions about personal responsibility, enabling, resilience and whether love alone is enough to save someone from addiction.
Who among us is exempt from family dysfunction? Whether addiction, mental illness, abuse or trauma, most of us inherit wounds we never asked for. The Twelve Steps remind us that putting down the drink, drug or the obsession that we can change other people is only the beginning. As the Big Book tells us, “Elimination of our drinking is but a beginning. A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our respective homes, occupations and affairs. (AA, p. 19)
Hillbilly Elegy reminds us that love is not the same as rescuing. Recovery calls us to healthy boundaries, acceptance and faith rather than control. When we stop trying to manage another person’s life and begin living the spiritual principles ourselves, we become part of breaking the cycle of addiction and family dysfunction.
Review by MarLa
Spot on review! (CF)