Glenn Close might finally add an Oscar to her trophy shelf based on the new Hillbilly Elegy trailer. The seven-time Oscar-nominee has a juicy part playing the gun-totin’ Mamaw to author J.D. Vance. Hillbilly Elegy adapts Vance’s memoir about growing up dirt poor in Appalachian country. Vance’s relationship with his grandmother is the heart of the story. She raises him at a distance from his mother who struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. Hillbilly Elegy is the latest film from Oscar winner Ron Howard. The Shape of Water screenwriter Vanessa Taylor pens the script.
Amy Adams plays Vance’s mother Bev and joins Close in making Hillbilly Elegy a feast of Oscar bridesmaids. Adams trails Close by just one nomination as the living performer with the most Oscar noms and no wins, so this year could be the one that does it for both of them. Close, however, has the richer part. (Think Renée Zellweger in Cold Mountain with doses of Melissa Leo in The Fighter.) She seems to deliver on the potential based on the first images of the trailer released today by Netflix. And with few, if any, contenders so far in the Best Supporting Actress race, Close could easily be the one to beat. We’re looking forward to Pip’s return to the red carpet!
Synopsis
J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso), a former Marine from southern Ohio and current Yale Law student, is on the verge of landing his dream job. A family crisis forces him to return to the home he’s tried to forget. J.D. must navigate the complex dynamics of his Appalachian family, including his volatile relationship with his mother Bev (Amy Adams), who’s struggling with addiction. Fueled by memories of his grandmother Mamaw (Glenn Close), the resilient and whip-smart woman who raised him, J.D. comes to embrace his family’s indelible imprint on his own personal journey.
Based on J.D. Vance’s #1 New York Times Bestseller and directed by Academy Award winner Ron Howard, Hillbilly Elegy is a powerful personal memoir that offers a window into one family’s personal journey of survival and triumph. By following three colorful generations through their unique struggles, J.D.’s family story explores the highs and lows that define his family’s experience.
Hillbilly Elegy hits Netflix November 24 and will be in select theatres.
