If You Read Beautiful Boy, Keep an Eye Out For These 3 Things in the Movie

Similar to Nic's journal entries, the credits of the movie also reveal that Nic's stepmom, Karen Barbour (impressively portrayed by Maura Tierney), allowed producers to use her actual artwork in the Beautiful Boy movie. Karen's artwork in their Marin County home is seen not only as her creative escape from the reality of her stepson's addiction and the impact it has on her husband, but also as a true inside look into how talented she is. In the book, Sheff describes his wife's artistic skills so beautifully, and the movie absolutely brings it to life. Seeing Karen's real artwork is such a special and personal add-on to the already emotional film.