'Flora and Son' review: Meeting in the middle through power of music

John Carney makes movies about music. Not filmed performances from rock superstars, but movies about normal people who make a connection with music that enriches their spirituality and their soul. Music and its mechanics — a chord change here, a well-written chorus there, a perfectly constructed bridge — becomes their salvation, their escape from the everyday troubles of their lives.

He did it in "Once," his 2007 masterpiece, as well as 2013's "Begin Again" and 2016's "Sing Street." Now the writer and director is back with "Flora and Son," in which Eve Hewson, daughter of Bono, gives a luminous performance as a single mom in Dublin who discovers herself through music.

Hewson plays Flora, who steals from the purses of the mothers for whom she babysits when they're not paying attention. She's the spitfire mother of a troubled teenager, Max (Orén Kinlan), and when he finds himself afoul with the law, she rescues him a guitar from a dumpster in hopes he'll learn to play. When he doesn't, she picks it up and gives it a chance herself.

Flora enlists in online lessons from a kindhearted LA guitar teacher, Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and their sessions quickly turn flirtatious. It's just the way that Flora is, she can't help it. But in between come-ons, Flora coaxes Jeff out of his self-imposed shell, and Jeff helps unlock Flora's inner songwriter. Together, they come up with "Meet in the Middle," a sweet little love song about the pair's hopes to pause their respective lives, throw caution to the wind, and come together IRL.

Flora also uses music to bond with Max, a budding hip-hop producer, helping him to film a music video for his crush. It even helps her in her relationship with her ex, Max's dad, Ian ("Sing Street's" Jack Reynor), a former bass player who lives across town. "Flora and Son" is a small story that knows its boundaries and doesn't try to become more than it is. But it comes alive thanks to Hewson's spunky performance and Carney's belief that music can bring people together, no matter the circumstances, and help make the world a little bit better.

agraham@detroitnews.com

'Flora and Son'

GRADE: B

Rated R: for language throughout, sexual references and brief drug use

Running time: 97 minutes

On Apple TV+