Don’t see “The Boy” expecting to be scared, disturbed or grossed out — it is PG-13 after all. Don’t dismiss this as a movie with nothing to offer, either. Directed by William Brent Bell, the movie stars Lauren Cohan (you may know her from “The Walking Dead”) as Greta, a Montana girl who takes a nanny job in England. She soon learns that Brahms, the child she’ll be watching, is actually a doll.
To Greta’s confusion, his parents, played by Jim Norton and Diana Hardcastle, treat him like a human, telling Greta exactly how to care for him while they are away. In thrillers, being alone in an old mansion means trouble, and when evidence suggests Brahms is more than a porcelain doll, Greta fears for her safety. From the outset, the storyline of “The Boy” seems dangerously close to mundane. However, certain plot twists give the movie more depth and make it more enjoyable.
Cohan fits her role perfectly, showing Greta’s bewilderment and suspicion. She gives Greta a subtle strength rather than making her a victim. Rupert Evans plays Malcolm, a local man who works as a grocery boy for the family. Besides being Greta’s love interest, he provides her with a sense of safety and gives the film some much-needed charm.
Past events in the characters’ lives address the question of why Greta ended up with her current job and sheds light onto Brahms. Greta takes the nanny job not only to make money but also to escape an abusive relationship back in America as well. “The Boy” focuses just enough on Greta’s past to be relevant to the present situation and drive the story. In addition, Greta learns about Brahms’ past and how the doll appears to replace the “real” Brahms, a peculiar boy with a tragic death.
Watching “The Boy,” I appreciated how the movie gradually strayed from anything I would have expected. Early on, certain details of the story are anything but original — a protagonist escaping her old life, an old country mansion, and even an eerie yet tempting attic that Greta insists on seeing. However, as “The Boy” progresses, it adds layer after creepy layer to make it truly bizarre. This weirdness works in the film’s favor; again, it is not exactly scary, but it is memorable. It questions whether Brahms, a doll who looks like he would happily commit murder, is really worth fearing.
“The Boy” is not a must-see movie, but it is worth seeing. It pleasantly surprised me, and for an hour-and-a-half long film, it leaves an impression rather than being a forgettable thriller. Your expectations going into the movie will in part determine how you like it. Try not to view its PG-13 rating as a restriction; what it lacks in scariness it makes up for in strangeness.
_MOVE gives “The Boy” three out of five stars._
_Edited by Katherine Rosso — krosso@themaneater.com_
