The Good Son

Rating:
Summary: IF I LET YOU GO, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN FLY????
Review: I would have liked it a lot more if Elijah Wood died too

Rating:
Summary: Not the greatest, but some fine performances
Review: I was wandering through my local video store the other day when I came across this movie. I had never really heard of it before since I was too young to see it when it came out. It caught my eye mainly for one reason, well two really "Culkin and Wood." How is it that a director managed to get the best two child actors of the 1990s together in a movie and is it really any good?

It depends. The movie is admitedly sick. The whole idea of a psychopathic serial killer 12 year old is just a little too bizarre for me. However, the story is entertaining and suspenseful, yet horribly predictable. If you have a slighty twisted mind you will probably like this movie, if you are extremely conservative, stay away.

Now for the acting. I thought the Wendy Crewson was excellent as Susan and I thought the little Culkin did a fair job as the little sister. However, McCaughly Culkin was not believeable. Perhaps I just don't like his style but I did not like his performance. Wood however, was a gem. Not that he doesn't usually pull off fine performances, but this one was great. It angers me that Culkin got top billing for this movie, one considering that Wood had a lot more screen time and two because the whole movie was based on Wood's character.

So overall, a decent movie, not the best, but worth seing if you havn't already, are a fan of Wendy Crewson or Elijah Wood and want to watch fine acting at its best, or you just have a taste for somewhat sick and twisted plots.

Rating:
Summary: Exploring humanity for what it is?
Review: There are times in life when we are forced to come to grips with the inherent evil of humanity. In The Good Son (directed by Joseph Ruben), evil surfaces in Henry (Macaulay Culkin), a 13-year-old boy whose innocent appearance fools his family.
Henry does not hide his actions from his cousin Mark (Elijah Wood), who is staying with Henry's family following the death of his mother. As Mark realizes the terrible truth behind Henry's personality, he must convince Henry's parents of the evil that has caused so much harm.

Macaulay Culkin's role in The Good Son is a departure from his usual role as a good-natured child prankster, notably in Home Alone and Home Alone 2. Rather than being the avenue for harmless slapstick comedy and traditional feel-good values, Culkin's character is involved in dangerous and disturbing schemes intended at taking out his family.

When Mark first arrives at Henry's house, the two spend their days doing typical boy activities, such as climbing into tree houses, playing football, and exploring hideouts. Then, while playing with a homemade crossbow, Henry shoots a dog. Mark is horrified by the canine slaughter, and begins to realize that something is drastically wrong.

As the movie progresses, it is clear Henry is motivated by jealousy. Henry's mother, who devotes much of her attention to Mark, is unaware of her son's disturbing actions or his intense jealousy and hatred of those jockeying for her affection.
Now set on destroying Mark and his family, Henry uses his leverage as the supposed 'good son' to his advantage. In front of his parents, Henry expresses his concern for Mark, who he says is reeling from his mother's death, but in private, he makes his evil intentions fully known and threatens Mark.

Soon after, Henry takes his younger sister Connie (played by Culkin's real-life younger sister Quinn Culkin) ice-skating on a pond, and flings her onto thin ice. After she falls through, Henry watches her begin to down, refusing to extend his hand and pull her up. Connie is rescued, and when Mark tells Henry's parents what really happened, they are appalled. Refusing to believe the truth, they feel Mark is suffering repercussions of his mother's death, and send him to a psychologist.

Eventually, Henry's mother begins to piece together the evidence. Torn between her knowledge of the horrific truth and love for her flesh and blood, she must decide between what she knows is reality and what she wants to believe.

While many psychological dramas play on the thoughts and emotions of viewers through blood, gore, and big-time special effects, The Good Son is small-scale, and uses a relatively simple, developing plot that produces a thought-provoking film. The effect of The Good Son is only strengthened by the fact its resolution is skillfully masked and comes as a shock.
Another strength of The Good Son, and perhaps the reason for its "R" rating, is its realism. The events and characters are not improbable. They are horrifying, but completely believable. The potency of The Good Son comes from the fact that its content is troubling, yet real, so the audience must deal with the film's theme, the nature of humanity.
Watching The Good Son may leave the viewer troubled, but nonetheless fulfilled. Rather than being exploited, one is faced with a series of dark secrets and left in some sort of philosophical bind that must be resolved. The Good Son is a productive watch, and a captivating glimpse into humanity.

Rating:
Summary: Macaulary Culkin is the devil in disguise
Review: Macaulary Culkin goes from hero in the Home Alone movies to villian in The Good Son. And looks like the good son is Elijah Wood. But it would be pretty hard when you wistness something but nobody believes you, well that what happens to Mark Evans in this movie. As the movie opens, Mark Evans (Elijah Wood) has recently had his mother die, when he promises her that he will not let her die. But when his father Wallace (Daniel Hugh Kelly) has to go on a business trip, Mark finds himself going off to Maine for Christmas vacation. He says with his aunt Susan (Wendy Crewson) and his uncle (David Morse). And moves in with his cousin Henry (Macaulary Culkin) who hates his kid sister Coonie Evans (Quinn Culkins). Things go good until Mark, discovers that Henry is evil. Macualry Culkin has not been in a film since 1994, and who knows if he will get a new film part, but if you are a fan of him, you hve this and other films he did as a minor.

Rating:
Summary: Puzzling.... campy?
Review: Could there be such a thing as a childhood-exploitation film? Perhaps this would be a candidate for the genre. Culkin and Wood are scripted and directed to talk and act like adults, throwing themselves at each other in knockdown dragouts, like little men. Elijah Wood is adorable, of course, and works in hard earnest. Macauley Culkin is a delight to hate; somehow the director must have picked up that by this point in the early 1990s we were all sick of him? Whatever the reason for this casting, and whatever transformations of maturity Culkin may have since undergone, he remains a right howl in this one. Enjoy this picture for its baffling badness.

Rating:
Summary: All the stars are for Elijah Wood
Review: Elijah Wood is the best thing about this movie. So amazing that all five stars are for his convincing performance.
The movie is average but without Elijah it wouldn't be worth seeing. I mean the scene on the stairs with his aunt when he's crying AMAZING! You will either enjoy the movie or you won't but you will enjoy Elijah's part. He is truly a gifted actor!

Rating:
Summary: I'm glad I only saw it on TV
Review: Like the title says, I wouldn't waste any money on this stinker. The acting is absolutely horrid, most notably experienced when watching Culkin. Wood is a close second. I wouldn't blame them totally. The plot was probably conceived by someone with a less developed mind than either one of them. Leave this movie standing in the corner of the movie store and, if you have any kids of your own, spend some quality time with them instead.

Rating:
Summary: The Good Son
Review: It is a sotry about a little boy named Mark, (Elijah Wood) whose Mother died. His Father sends him away to live with relatives and his cousin, Henry, is a bad son. He does awful things and the only one who knows about these things are Mark. No one would believe Mark if he told and Henry is about to do the worst thing he could possibly do...

Rating:
Summary: Great movie but they cheated Lij!
Review: This is a great movie. One of the best. Absolutly stunning. However, I have one major gripe. You probably know the story line by now so I won't waste much time repeating it all. The story is about Mark who discovers that Henry is evil. The story starts and ends with Mark. People root for him and hope Henry dies. My point? Elijah Wood is the star and should recieve due recognition. Muculay did a great job, but not only did Elijah eclipse him in acting, his character is much more important. I rest my case.

Rating:
Summary: This is GREAT!
Review: I first saw this back when it was on PPV in '94 I think... and this is the movie that got me so into Elijah Wood! He is an AMAZING actor, and tho there are violent events in this movie, I think it is still wonderfully done.
Elijah and Macaulay are both amazing in this!