This Disturbing Horror-Thriller Scarred ‘90s Kids for Life
Tyler Doupe'
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Though it may not be a critical darling, I still maintain that The Good Son is a disturbing cinematic offering with a highly effective cast. This feature is likely particularly memorable to anyone who saw it at an impressionable age. I vividly remember watching the film during its theatrical exhibition and it scared the ever-loving hell out of me. I recognize that some of my appreciation for the picture stems from seeing it as a youngster. But my opinion of The Good Son has not changed much upon revisiting it as an adult. And oh my god, that ending.
The Good Son starts out with an emotional gut punch, rendering the audience especially vulnerable to the roller coaster of emotions that lies ahead. Mere moments in, we see Mark (Elijah Wood) grappling with the impending death of his mother. He quietly promises her that she’s not going to die because he won’t let her. But from there, we cut to Mark’s mother’s funeral proceedings, where Mark is struggling to reconcile the kind of loss someone his age shouldn’t have to endure.
That bleak opening sequence effectively sets the stage for the disturbing horrors to come. Following the funeral, Mark’s father departs for a business trip and leaves his bereaved son in the care of his aunt Susan (Wendy Crewson) and uncle Wallace (Daniel Hugh Kelly). Mark and his cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin) prove to be fast friends, giving Mark a much-needed reprieve from his grief. That respite, however, is short-lived. The longer Mark is around, the more Henry begins to reveal his true colors as a violent psychopath. But Mark seems to be the only one who sees Henry for who he really is. And that puts young Mark squarely in Henry’s crosshairs.
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The backdrop of the idyllic New England town lures the viewer into a false sense of security. The casting of Macaulay Culkin serves a similar purpose. Going in, viewers likely think such a sweet-looking young man in such a beautiful locale couldn’t possibly perpetrate unthinkable acts of violence. But those expectations are very quickly upended.
Culkin’s casting as a rather wise choice. Following the success of Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin became Hollywood’s golden child. Kevin McCallister’s mischievous smile and inexplicable prowess at defending his home against a pair of bungling burglars made viewers fall in love with Culkin. After the film’s release, the child actor set off on a whirlwind press tour promoting the picture. And people formulated ideas about who he was and what kind of roles he would take on. So, the very notion that he was tapped to star in a Bad Seed-esque horror thriller was quite a surprise. And director Joseph Ruben uses that to the film’s advantage.
Ruben brings Ian McEwan’s script to life with a sinister sense of foreboding. Even before we reach the point of no return, we come to the disturbing realization that young Henry is dangerous. An early scene in Henry’s death trap of a tree fort sees the psychotic antagonist dangling his poor cousin Mark over the edge and asking Mark if he thinks he can fly. That early scene eerily foreshadows an unforgettable finale.
The final moments of The Good Son terrified me as a youngster. And I still consider the finale pretty rough to endure as an adult. It’s an unthinkable position in which Susan finds herself. The harrowing camerawork and maniacal score that accompany the shocking conclusion make the proceedings even more intense to endure.
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As if that which came before wasn’t bad enough, we are then left to ponder Mark’s voiceover narration. After a whirlwind of disturbing events that forced him to grow up far too fast, he is now left to wonder if Susan would make the same choice again. And that adds an additional level of discomfort. We’ve just lived vicariously through a Sophie’s Choice from hell. Now we’re left to reflect on the toll it took on Susan and whether the outcome would differ if she were given the chance to relive that fateful moment. That serves as icing on the proverbial cake and it gave my 11-year-old self a lot to ponder as I exited the theater.
The Good Son may not have won over critics upon release. But I remain convinced it’s an effective psychological-horror picture that proves evil lurks in the most unexpected of places. If you’re due for a rewatch (or eager to experience the film for the first time) you can catch it streaming on Hulu, as of the publication of this post.
Categorized:Editorials
