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The Book of Henry
2017 105 min United States of America PG-13 16+
★5.8
Drama, Thriller, Mystery
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Trailers
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Description
Susan, a single mother of two, works as a waitress in a small town. Her son, Henry, is an 11-year-old genius who not only manages the family finances but acts as emotional support for his mother and younger brother. When Henry discovers that the girl next door has a terrible secret, he implores Susan to take matters into her own hands.
Budget:
$10M
US Gross:
$4.5M
Worldwide:
$4.6M
Starring
Naomi Watts
Actor
Jaeden Martell
Actor
Jacob Tremblay
Actor
Awards
1 win & 3 nominations total
Key opinion
The Book of Henry is a polarizing genre-blend that manages to elicit strong emotional reactions despite its structural inconsistencies. While the central performances, particularly from the child actors and Naomi Watts, receive widespread praise, critics remain deeply divided over the film's jarring tonal shifts and questionable narrative logic.
| Acting | The child actors and Naomi Watts deliver compelling, committed performances that serve as the film's primary emotional anchor. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography effectively uses color and framing to create a distinct visual identity. | |
| Direction | The film attempts to merge disparate genres—family drama, thriller, and vigilante justice—leading to a jarring tonal dissonance that prevents the story from finding a cohesive identity. | |
| Screenplay | The script features significant narrative flaws and implausible plot points that leave viewers struggling to reconcile the characters' questionable moral choices. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is viewed either as an emotionally engaging journey that balances character growth with suspense, or as an uneven, filler-heavy experience that fails to earn its dramatic beats. |