The Good Son

Another horror throwback, I remembered a movie that dances between psychological thriller and horror. I was much younger when I first watched it and seeing Macaulay Culkin play the role of a psychopath after his adorable performance in the Home Alone films made The Good Son (1993) stick with me ever since. Watching this movie through adults eyes now though gave me a better perspective and deeper understanding of the themes covered in it.

Written by English novelist, Ian McEwan and directed by Joseph Ruben, The Good Son is an American psychological thriller released in the early ‘90s starring Elijah Wood, Macaulay Culkin, Wendy Crewson, David Morse, Jacqueline Brookes and other supporting actors.

The movie follows Mark (Elijah Wood) who recently lost his mother and his father takes him to his uncle and aunt in Maine to spend the winter holiday there. He arrives at his relatives' home feeling sad and vulnerable. Then he meets his cousins, Henry (Macaulay Culkin) and Connie (Quinn Culkin). At first, spending time with Henry seems like a good distraction until he begins to notice Henry's idea of fun is strange and cruel.

When Henry realises Mark is not ‘like him’, he threatens to kill Connie so Mark spends the night in the girl's room to protect her. When he woke up, Henry had taken Connie ice skating. He races to the pond but it's too late. Connie falls through thin ice into the lake and is rescued but placed in a coma at the hospital. He tries to make his uncle and aunt understand that something is wrong with their son, Henry, they don't believe him.

What starts with disturbing behaviour gradually turns into something far more serious, and Mark finds himself in the uncomfortable position of trying to convince the adults around him to see it. When Henry's mother, Susan, becomes suspicious of her son, Henry tells Mark his plan to hurt her. Can this young, ten year old boy save his aunt from their psychopathic son?

My Review And Rating

This movie felt different when I watched it recently. The plot is simple, focused on the least expected danger in a home—the son. The storytelling and pacing is good and not rushed. The tension builds slowly and comes less from wondering whether Henry is dangerous and more from watching Mark struggle to convince everyone around him to see what he sees. I feel his frustration and join him to yell at my screen. This is when I know the filmmakers did a great job with conveying the tension and mood.

Macaulay Culkin is fascinating in the role of the psychopathic son, Henry. It's such a sharp contrast to his lovable character in Home Alone and I remember struggling as a preteen to understand why he switched from Kevin in the Christmas comedy to the cold, cruel Henry in this movie. He handles the role convincingly. He knows how to behave around adults, when to appear innocent, when to act hurt and when to turn suspicion toward another person. Though he's not the most convincing psychopath and his acting is somewhat exaggerated in some scenes, yet his calmness is effective and his slow smile makes him more unsettling.

Elijah Wood on the other hand is the actor I found easier to connect with, especially after seeing his amazing performance in the Lord Of The Rings films. He's cool, adorable with an innocent look. In this movie, he acts like a frightened child rather than as an action hero. Dealing with grief, his behaviour is easy for the adults to dismiss as emotional instability. He gives his character a quiet vulnerability that helps ground the more extreme parts of the story and make you root for him all through the movie.

The film captures the theme of evil versus good in a way that gets you to wonder if there's an obvious explanation for why a child (who is supposedly innocent) is cruel, if evil is learned or caused by trauma or simply a part of a person's nature. Another theme that stands out is the danger of dismissing a child's concerns. I think if Mark's uncle and aunt had taken the time to look into his concerns, maybe some of the accidents that happened could have been avoided.

The cinematography is not bad for a ‘90s movie but I loved the location and setting. The isolated coastal environment, cold weather and the family home give the movie that thriller atmosphere and a bit of gothic vibe. Still, I enjoyed rewatching this movie seeing that the lead actors have progressed well in their careers.

Rating this movie, I'd give it 6.8 out of 10 stars. The Good Son is a memorable thriller with a simple premise, a creepy central character and enough tension to keep you watching to the end.

All images above are screenshots from the movie

Poster image source

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