Review of Going Home

I'm a big fan of Robert Mitchum and also of Jan-Michael Vincent, but I was disappointed with this father/son drama. The film has an interesting set-up, with Vincent reaching out to his recently paroled father, who had been put away for killing his wife, Vincent's mother, many years before. What doesn't work as well is that Vincent is such an unpleasant character and in terms of narrative seems like he should be the character the audience needs to want to follow and identify with. Mitchum is excellent as the father who is happy to help his son and to reconcile, but who avoids pushing himself on his son given his past actions. Vincent is an underrated actor, but this character is so damaged and hurtful that it makes the film an unpleasant experience. And it's not that I can't appreciate or enjoy challenging familial dramas, but they at least need to interesting characters or solid narrative, both of which this film lacked. Overall, this film was only made watchable thanks to a nuanced performance by Mitchum. Brenda Vaccaro, Sally Kirkland, and Josh Mostel appear in supporting roles and an uncredited Audrey Landers appears as a teenage Arby's customer.