Hellion (2014)

About Hellion

Hellion, released in 2014, is an American drama film directed and written by Kat Candler. It focuses on the story of a 13-year-old boy, Jacob, showcasing his delinquent behavior which ultimately leads to Child Protective Services placing his little brother, Wes, with his aunt. Jacob and his emotionally absent father, Hollis, have to take responsibility for their actions if they want to bring Wes home.

Making / Production

The film was produced by Kelly Williams, Jonathan Duffy, and Janice Beard. It was fully shot in Texas, with major parts filmed in Galveston. Despite dealing with heavy themes and intense scenes, the presence of young actors kept the set surprisingly light.

Actors

• Aaron Paul played 'Hollis Wilson', the emotionally absent and alcoholic father, displaying a captivating and heartrending performance.
• Josh Wiggins was introduced to us as the rebellious 'Jacob Wilson', exploring depths of juvenile delinquency with remarkable skill and believability.
• Deke Garner, who played the innocent 'Wes Wilson', provided a compelling contrast to his on-screen brother through his subtle and effective performance.
• Juliette Lewis was Aunt 'Pam', offering some balance and a beacon of hope in the somewhat chaotic lives of the Wilson family.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Aaron Paul's character, Hollis, was initially supposed to be a smoker, but Aaron managed to convince the director to cut this out because he didn't agree the character needed that aspect.
• The film received its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the category of dramatic films.

Quotes

• "Everything's gonna be okay, alright?" - Hollis
• "This is my house!" - Jacob
• "We need to fix it!" - Hollis

Music, Soundtrack

• Music for Hellion is composed by Curtis Heath, which added depth to the profound scenes.
• The soundtrack uses a combination of indie rock and more traditional compositions to mirror the setting and mood of the film.