Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, and for some thematic material.
Starring Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans and James Russell
Directed by William Brent Bell (The Devil Inside)
Not as scary as it could have been.
Greta (Cohan) is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, only to discover that the family’s 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their actual son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta’s worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.
The Boy is one of those quirky and creepy horror movies that you wish had a better payoff. The first 30 minutes or so set the stage for a really creepy, really scary film. But for some reason the filmmakers decided on a “twist ending” that left me wondering what could have been.
Greta Evans (Lauren Cohan) is the main character and holds her own. She’s engaging and likeable and drew me in almost immediately. Her new employers — Mr. and Mrs. Heelshire (Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle, respectively) are off the creepy scale and help set the stage for the uncomfortable things to come. But it’s not until you see the creepy doll – who they introduce to her as their son – that it makes you want to hit the stop button and watch Veggie Tales.
So was I creeped out when Greta would leave the room and the doll would move? UM YEAH!!!
The final act reveals a twist ending that works in the moment, but caused me to wonder where the film could have gone.
The Boy is watchable, but it could have been so much better. So watch it if you dare, but “Only If It’s Free.”
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity (we see Lauren Cohan in a shower, but no nudity) and the profanity is fairly mild for a PG-13 film.
There are several jump scenes and the doll is pretty creepy.
CONVERSATION STARTER:
- In the film what happens when Greta does not “follow the rules”?
- What are some rules you have a hard time following?
- What happens when you don’t follow them?
- Why is following the rules important?
Read Romans 13:1
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.