Post by Vits on Dec 1, 2017 9:31:58 GMT
THE BOOK OF HENRY is about a boy named HENRY CARPENTER, who discovers that his neighbour GLENN SICKLEMAN is abusing his stepdaugther CHRISTINA. Since he's a respected member of society, the school principal feels she can't report it. Since he has "connections," calling child services anonymously doesn't work. Eventually, HENRY tries to convince his mom SUSAN to kill GLENN.
I didn't feel that SUSAN thought of all the possible alternatives to solve the problem. There's a moment where she says "We're not going to kill the chief of police!" It sounded like she would have no problem killing someone with a different job. I know that's not the case based on the character's personality, which makes that scene look even dumber. Jaeden Lieberher's performance is as good as the others actors' (Naomi Watts, Jacob Tremblay, Sarah Silverman, Maddie Ziegler and Dean Norris), despite being stuck playing an unlikeable character who's actually supposed to be a charming smartass. They even do the gag where SUSAN listens to a message he recorded and its sounds like he's answering her because he anticipated every reaction. It's not that funny and, after a few scenes, it's not even meant to be funny anymore. The movie establishes the contrast between him and his brother PETER, who has a normal level of intelligence... so why is there a scene where SUSAN is having a nervous breakdown and PETER helps her by talking to her like he was an adult? He even says "Don't talk to me like a child." At the beginning, HENRY sees a couple fighting at the supermarket and it looks like the man might be abusive. The only difference between the woman and CHRISTINA is that we hear the latter speak... barely. You can't make a movie where a secondary character is basically an extra. Especially a victim. She doesn't feel like a real person; just someone that can make HENRY & SUSAN feel like heroes.
3/10
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An entire movie about planning a murder and debating about it only for the principal to look at CHRISTINA, feel guilty and call the police anyway. GLENN is told that the accusation can't be swept it under the rug, so he kills himself. CHRISTINA goes to live with the CARPENTERS (doesn't she have any other relatives?) and they live happily ever after. This isn't a waste of time in the traditional sense (being a bad movie); it's a waste of time because: A) It's a story where the protagonists don't participate in the solution of the conflict. B) It's a story with a message conveyed during the climax that should've been conveyed earlier. You see, SUSAN doesn't kill GLENN because she realizes that being smart isn't the same as being mature. HENRY is a genius but still a kid. It took you that long to realize that?! Did the story need these and other crazy events just to convey said message? Other movies have handled the dilemma of killing out of need better.
I didn't feel that SUSAN thought of all the possible alternatives to solve the problem. There's a moment where she says "We're not going to kill the chief of police!" It sounded like she would have no problem killing someone with a different job. I know that's not the case based on the character's personality, which makes that scene look even dumber. Jaeden Lieberher's performance is as good as the others actors' (Naomi Watts, Jacob Tremblay, Sarah Silverman, Maddie Ziegler and Dean Norris), despite being stuck playing an unlikeable character who's actually supposed to be a charming smartass. They even do the gag where SUSAN listens to a message he recorded and its sounds like he's answering her because he anticipated every reaction. It's not that funny and, after a few scenes, it's not even meant to be funny anymore. The movie establishes the contrast between him and his brother PETER, who has a normal level of intelligence... so why is there a scene where SUSAN is having a nervous breakdown and PETER helps her by talking to her like he was an adult? He even says "Don't talk to me like a child." At the beginning, HENRY sees a couple fighting at the supermarket and it looks like the man might be abusive. The only difference between the woman and CHRISTINA is that we hear the latter speak... barely. You can't make a movie where a secondary character is basically an extra. Especially a victim. She doesn't feel like a real person; just someone that can make HENRY & SUSAN feel like heroes.
3/10
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You can read comments of other movies in my blog (in English, in Spanish or in Italian).
