Justin Timberlake delivers one of his best performances of his career in Palmer, now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+.
After 12 years in prison, former high school football star Eddie Palmer (JustinTimberlake) returns home to put his life back together and forms an unlikely bond with Sam (Ryder Allen) an outcast boy from a troubled home. But Eddie’s past threatens to ruin his new life and family.
I have always been a big believer in second chances and that something that really stuck with me about this film. It shows that people can better themselves and learn to love the unordinary. Directed by Fisher Stevens, Palmer gets a lot of its strength from its stellar performances and the overall story arc of its title character who goes from yelling at Sam, “You know you’re a boy, right?” when he wants to play with dolls or dress up like a fairy princess to becoming a father-figure who will protect him no matter the consequences.
Timberlake has played dramatic roles in the past (take The Social Network for example), but this film is definitely a step up for him, and he is very convincing as a guy who is haunted by his regrets, who had his whole future planned out – with a football scholarship to LSU – before his like took a different path. I wouldn’t be surprised if Timberlake gets an Oscar nomination for his performance. Palmer has a lot of great performances from June Squibb and Alisha Wainwright, but the standout of this film is Ryder Allen who delivers some of the most heartbreaking scenes in the movies.
Overall, Palmer’s story is sensitively told and delivers some moving moments. But, like most movies nowadays, it’s an entertaining way to pass the time as you can watch it on Apple TV+.
What did you think of the film? Sound off in the comments.
