Hesher

Hesher is a drama about T.J., a thirteen-year-old boy whose mother has died in an accident. He and his father Paul, unable to cope with the loss, move into the home of T.J.'s grandmother. On his way to school T.J. crosses paths with Hesher, a hostile, long-haired young man who lives in a van, covers himself in homemade tattoos and takes pleasure in fire and destruction. Without being invited, Hesher moves in with the family, and his unpredictable presence disrupts what is left of their daily life. T.J. also becomes involved with Nicole, a grocery store clerk who rescues him from an attack.

The film was directed by Spencer Susser, who wrote the screenplay with David Michôd, and was produced by Natalie Portman, Lucy Cooper and Susser. It was Susser's first feature as director and Michôd's first produced screenplay. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Hesher, with Portman as Nicole, Devin Brochu as T.J., Rainn Wilson as Paul, Piper Laurie as Madeleine and John Carroll Lynch as Larry.

Made on a budget of about seven million dollars, the film drew mixed notices from critics, whose average rating stands at 5.8 out of 10 across 77 reviews. Audiences have been warmer: on IMDb it holds 6.9 out of 10 from around 56,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.8 out of 10 from roughly 770 votes.