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Joshua
2007 105 min United States of America R 16+
★6.0
Drama, Thriller, Horror
Director: George Ratliff
Trailers
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Description
The arrival of a newborn girl causes the gradual disintegration of the Cairn family; particularly for 9-year-old Joshua, an eccentric boy whose proper upbringing and refined tastes both take a sinister turn.
US Gross:
$482,355
Worldwide:
$719,968
Starring
Sam Rockwell
Actor
Vera Farmiga
Actor
Jacob Kogan
Actor
Awards
Sundance Film Festival 2007
— Best Cinematography (Drama)
Sundance Film Festival 2007
— Grand Jury Prize (Drama)
Key opinion
Joshua is a polarizing psychological thriller that divides viewers between those who appreciate its depiction of a disintegrating family and those who find its character motivations and plot execution frustratingly vague. While some praise its tense atmosphere and central performances, many critics and audience members find the narrative lacking in logic and payoff.
| Acting | Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga deliver committed performances that elevate the material, though their characters' questionable parenting choices often frustrate the audience. | |
| Emotion | The film creates an effectively oppressive and anxiety-ridden atmosphere, heightened by a score that underscores the family's internal dread. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is heavily criticized for its lack of clarity, with many viewers finding the antagonist's motives and the final resolution to be incoherent or unsatisfying. | |
| Pacing | The film's slow-burn pacing is perceived by some as a deliberate, contemplative exploration of domestic instability, while others dismiss it as boring and eventless. | |
| Originality | Opinions on the film's genre identity are split; some view it as a grounded, realistic psychological drama about family trauma, while others feel it unsuccessfully attempts to mimic the "evil child" tropes of horror classics like The Omen. |