The Boy
Director: William Brent Bell
Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, Jim Norton, Diana Hardcastle, James Russell
A young, American woman named Greta journeys to England to become a nanny to the only child of a wealthy couple. When she arrives, she is surprised to discover that the child she is meant to care for is actually a porcelain doll named Brahms and his parents treat this doll as if he were truly their own living child. As she comes to care for Brahms, Greta discovers a secret that the family has kept hidden; one that will challenge her bond with him in more ways than one.
One of the most powerful themes in this film is the bond that is shared between mother and child and this bond is particularly illustrated in the bond shared between Brahms and his two mothers – Mrs. Heelshire and Greta. The catalyst that binds Greta and Mrs. Heelshire is that they have both experienced the most excruciating pain that a mother can suffer – that of losing a child – and in very different ways, they both find comfort and peace by becoming a mother to Brahms.
For Mrs. Heelshire, her connection to Brahms was sparked by the tragic death of her own son who died in a fire. While she has never really healed from the death of her only child, she finds some measure of comfort when she discovers the doll, who she names Brahms after her son. Over time, her desperate desire to have her own son restored to her allowed Mrs. Heelshire to adopt Brahms as her child and she created the fantasy that he is her son. When she and her husband leave Brahms with Greta, they know they will not be returning and why, but in her heart, Mrs. Heelshire could not leave her son without knowing that he would be cared for by someone who would love him as much as she did.
For Greta, her connection with Brahm’s is born from the promise she made to Mrs. Heelshire that she would love him as if her were her own child. While she is initially amused at the prospect of caring for the doll as if he were a real boy and she immediately disregards the detailed rules that are established for the “child’s” care after his parents leave, Greta eventually forms a deep attachment to Brahms when, after a series of strange and somewhat unnerving events, she begins to believe that he is real.
“The Boy” is a well-told and emotionally compelling story that brings a unique perspective to an age-old archetype “there is no greater love than the love a mother has for her child”. If you enjoy a good horror film, then this is one I would highly recommend.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: William Brent Bell
Cast: Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, Jim Norton, Diana Hardcastle, James Russell
A young, American woman named Greta journeys to England to become a nanny to the only child of a wealthy couple. When she arrives, she is surprised to discover that the child she is meant to care for is actually a porcelain doll named Brahms and his parents treat this doll as if he were truly their own living child. As she comes to care for Brahms, Greta discovers a secret that the family has kept hidden; one that will challenge her bond with him in more ways than one.
One of the most powerful themes in this film is the bond that is shared between mother and child and this bond is particularly illustrated in the bond shared between Brahms and his two mothers – Mrs. Heelshire and Greta. The catalyst that binds Greta and Mrs. Heelshire is that they have both experienced the most excruciating pain that a mother can suffer – that of losing a child – and in very different ways, they both find comfort and peace by becoming a mother to Brahms.
For Mrs. Heelshire, her connection to Brahms was sparked by the tragic death of her own son who died in a fire. While she has never really healed from the death of her only child, she finds some measure of comfort when she discovers the doll, who she names Brahms after her son. Over time, her desperate desire to have her own son restored to her allowed Mrs. Heelshire to adopt Brahms as her child and she created the fantasy that he is her son. When she and her husband leave Brahms with Greta, they know they will not be returning and why, but in her heart, Mrs. Heelshire could not leave her son without knowing that he would be cared for by someone who would love him as much as she did.
For Greta, her connection with Brahm’s is born from the promise she made to Mrs. Heelshire that she would love him as if her were her own child. While she is initially amused at the prospect of caring for the doll as if he were a real boy and she immediately disregards the detailed rules that are established for the “child’s” care after his parents leave, Greta eventually forms a deep attachment to Brahms when, after a series of strange and somewhat unnerving events, she begins to believe that he is real.
“The Boy” is a well-told and emotionally compelling story that brings a unique perspective to an age-old archetype “there is no greater love than the love a mother has for her child”. If you enjoy a good horror film, then this is one I would highly recommend.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.