In what is no doubt a just and understandable reaction, great tragedies are often met with concerned -- and often probing -- attention from the media in the short term, and artists over the long haul. This is never more true than when grisly murders are committed, and victims are so clear cut from aggressors.
But long-term, what often is forgotten about is that the culprit rarely comes from some shadowy organization or has generations of evil blood coursing through his or her veins. Those that knew and loved that aggressor are also victims, left to contemplate who they thought they knew and what steps they could have taken to prevent such tragedy.
That side of the story is explored in "Beautiful Boy," a new film about the parents of a college campus shooter (Michael Sheen & Mario Bello) who find themselves wrecked by the carnage their son wrought. A winner at last fall's Toronto Film Festival, it's a dark yet moving tale of the other side of the equation, begging the question of whether people can survive, let alone love, with that feeling of responsibility.
Sheen, featured in the clip, is currently starring in Woody Allen's new film, "Midnight in Paris." He's been an absolute workaholic over the last half decade; he's the head Volturi vampire in the "Twilight Saga" films; has played former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in three projects, including the Oscar-winner "The Queen" and "The Special Relationship," for which he was nominated for an Emmy; has had a recurring role on "30 Rock"; starred in "Frost/Nixon"; and is now leading the new comedy "Jesus Henry Christ," alongside Toni Collette.
Check out the exclusive clip below the synopsis:
Beautiful Boy is an unconventional love story that explores the journey of a married couple on the verge of separation, who must live with unimaginable heartbreak, and find healing through the darkest days of their lives.
Bill (Michael Sheen) and Kate (Maria Bello) hopelessly try to find some hint of an explanation after finding out that their only son committed a mass shooting at his university before taking his own life. They struggle numbly through the funeral, the media onslaught, and the awkward pity from relatives and friends. Their already strained marriage is tested as they realize all they have left with each other is their shared grief and confusion-and the unfortunate legacy of their son. This life-altering event forces Bill and Kate to face their feelings of guilt, rage, blame, self-discovery -and ultimately hope- so that they can finally see each other and their chance for happiness again with clear eyes.
WATCH: