Clap Watch: Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern get a healthy 10 minutes for The Son
Jackman is now a surefire Best Actor contender, despite the film debuting to mixed reviews

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L-R: Florian Zeller, Zen McGrath, Laura Dern, Hugh Jackman and Vanessa Kirby at the Venice premiere of The Son Photo: Vittorio Zunino Celotto
A few Oscars for The Father, a “rapturous reception” for The Son, and a filmmaker who must be blessed by the Holy Spirit. Okay, now that the obligatory Catholic trinity joke is out of the way, here’s the obligatory preamble. Welcome back to Clap Watch, where the festival audience’s applause is long and the A.V. Club audience’s patience is short. How do these people have the stamina for such lengthy ovations? And why should anyone care when they do? Why care about anything, this writer questions, but if you’ve made it this far we might as well have a little fun together. Those of us not in Venice to vigorously applaud might as well get a little giggle out of it, and the festival has provided plenty to giggle about.