← Back to results
Come Play
2020 97 min United States of America PG-13 16+
★5.8
Horror, Mystery
Director: Jacob Chase
🎭 Based on
«Larry»
Trailers
Description
Oliver, a lonely autistic boy, seeks solace and refuge in his ever-present cell phone and tablet. When a mysterious creature uses the boy's devices against him, his parents must fight to save their son from the monster beyond the screen.
Budget:
$9M
US Gross:
$10.48M
Worldwide:
$13.18M
Starring
Azhy Robertson
Actor
Gillian Jacobs
Actor
John Gallagher Jr.
Actor
Awards
1 nomination total
Key opinion
Come Play is a heartfelt, socially conscious horror film that succeeds more as a family drama about digital isolation than as a traditional scary movie. While critics praise the thematic depth and lead performance, many find the execution derivative, echoing established tropes from films like The Babadook.
| Acting | Azhy Robertson delivers a remarkably realistic and sympathetic performance as the non-verbal autistic protagonist. | |
| Theme | The film effectively uses the monster Larry as an allegory for 21st-century loneliness and the dangers of excessive screen addiction. | |
| Originality | The narrative relies heavily on established horror tropes and feels derivative of superior genre films like The Babadook. | |
| Emotion | Viewers are split on the film's scares; some appreciate the consistent atmosphere and unique concept, while others find the phone-based jump scares ineffective and predictable. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the pacing vary; some find the 90-minute runtime to be tight and compelling, while others feel the expansion from a short film leads to dull or stretched storytelling. | |
| Ending | The ending divides audiences between those who find the emotional payoff and "non-supernatural" resolution satisfying and those who view it as a soft, overly kind conclusion. |