Nitzan Havoc The first and most important thing to remember if you'd like to watch The Boy without succumbing to boredom (in my opinion) is that it isn't actually a Horror film (at least not the way most of us have been made used to). Far from it. No eerie atmosphere, no jump- scares or "boo!" moments, no unnecessary gore (thank God for that), and pretty much nothing that appeals to the basic human physiology. I kept on waiting for something (anything) to actually happen, for the plot to become compelling or in any way interesting to watch... Unfortunately, I had to wait until the end of the film to realize I've wasted my time on account of not watching it right (if there even is such a thing).First of all, the acting is great. I've been a David Morse fan ever since I've seen him in The Rock (and of course Green Mile) and later in his guest appearance in House. This role has obviously been more challenging, as the character of "the father" is supposed to invoke both empathy and disgust. Rain Wilson also does a great job as "the stranger". However, as always, I've been most impressed with young Jared Breeze as "the boy". It's alway lovely seeing talent at such a young age! His character is nonchalant, unexcited, and unimpressed, just as it should be.The Boy doesn't show you a sociopath on a killing spree. It shows you a human being, or better phrased - a sociopath attempting to fake humanity. Even during times of extreme emotion, Breeze's body language shows that he's doing what he's "supposed" to do as a human being. Whether he's happy, frustrated, having fun or throwing a fit - it seems he's always feeling 50% less than we would, especially as children.The Boy is a psychological film, not a thriller, definitely not Horror. Towards the ending, when the darkest sides of the characters unfold, the story becomes a lot more compelling as we are exposed to the gravity of the conclusion due to the turn of events. I can honestly say I was deeply impressed with Craig William Macneill's creation here, but did not really enjoy it. This is a film for "thinkers" and cinema students, and I simply wanted a good scare.

jtlpeavey After seeing the commercials and watching the preview for this movie I was excited to see it. However, after actually watching it on IFC on Friday night my excitement quickly subsided and I was amazed at how boring the movie turned out to be. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn't. It was hard to watch the whole movie but I wanted to make sure I gave it every chance to get better. It did not get better. The characters are very weak and there is not a lot of depth to them. The acting isn't bad. The movie has some good talent in it. The writing (or lack there of) is what kills this movie. We are essentially watching a bored child mope around a motel and take his frustration out on everything and everyone around him. Perhaps they could have done a little more background on the farther son relation so that we had a better understanding of the back story. The movie billed itself as a thriller but this was anything but. Not a worthwhile movie to watch. Very boring.

shinyhalo-1 This is actually a beautifully told story about the consequences of failing as a parent. The father neglects his boy drinking and watching TV. The mother ditched both her husband and boy at the beginning of the movie. You reap what you sow with kids. Give them guidance and ask them if they are happy. The father in this movie asked more questions than he gave guidance with crap like "You know why I'm doing this don't you?" Uhm...NO, he's a 9 year old. Or "There are some kids coming to celebrate prom. We're going to let boys be boys and girls be girls, know what I mean?" Uhm...NO, he's a 9 year old. The finale is worthy of Hannibal.

begob Boy tries to break out from his isolation by killing everyone around him.Hard to write a logline for this without spoilers. Lots to praise - cinematography and editing are excellent, the lead performers perfect, and the sound is always interesting. People complain about the pace, but I think it's judged just right.But there are huge problems with the story, and that's why it's tough to get a set-up logline for the movie. It's not a horror. Not a psychological thriller. Not a character study. The boy lays traps, but this isn't used in the climax. The boy vents his rage by booting a chicken to death, but the cute bunny is left unharmed - very tame. The sheriff is a pure exposition character. And the prom sequence has no imagination in the otherwise excellent direction. The fight scene between the boy and the bullies is rage-making, but that's as energetic as it gets and it feels one dimensional.Overall, it looks and sounds good but the story doesn't come together. Needs a strong dose of crazy.