Title: 6 Balloons
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Marja-Lewis Ryan
Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Dave Franco, Charlotte & Madeline Carel
Runtime: 1 hr 14 mins
What It Is: Katie (Jacobson) is trying to throw her boyfriend a surprise party. When her troubled brother Seth (Franco) stops by it derails everything she had planned. You see Seth is a “recovering” heroin addict. It seems that he’s back on the wagon and that he might not make it to the rehab center Katie needs to take him to. Now the time is on to either get Seth to recovery or get him some heroin, while not forgetting the cake for her boyfriend Jack’s (Dawan Owens) party.
What We Think: Front to back this is, finally, a fantastic film from Netflix and their originals. Not since I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore have we had a genuinely good original from the world’s largest streaming service. This one features strong performances from both Franco and Jacobson. She specifically shines in those scenes where she realizes she cannot save her brother from himself. Franco puts a nuance into his role here and is frankly better then he was in last years The Disaster Artist. Ryan as a first time director is so subtle and great it almost feels like we’re simply watching a couple of siblings fall apart.
Our Grade: A, A complete surprise and a welcomed one I need more of this from Netflix and fewer films like You Get Me. Jacobson certainly has my attention as a film actress, finally. She’s great in Broad City but things like Person to Person certainly haven’t helped her. I can without any doubt recommend this one. If you have Netflix, and most people do queue this one up right now! You’ll be left with a glaring, raw and true look at addiction and enabling.