THE GOOD SON
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 4.0
Date Released: 9/24/93 Running Length: 1:27 Rated: R (Violence, language)
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Elijah Wood, Wendy Crewson, David Morse, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Quinn Culkin Director: Joseph Ruben Producers: Mary Anne Page and Joseph Ruben Screenplay: Ian McEwan Music: Elmer Bernstein Released by Twentieth Century Fox
The death of his mother has been hard on Mark (Elijah Wood). In fact, as she lay on her deathbed, he promised her that he wouldn't let her die--a promise that he couldn't keep. Now, only a short time after the tragedy, Mark's father (David Morse) has to jet off to Tokyo to close a business deal, and Mark must spend his winter break with the family of his uncle Wallace (Daniel Hugh Kelly). While at first the prospect of two weeks in Maine is less than enticing, Mark loses much of his reticence once he meets the people he'll be staying with, taking an instant liking to his aunt Susan (Wendy Crewson), cousin Connie (Quinn Culkin), and especially cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin). However, after an enjoyable first few days spent mostly in the company of Henry, Mark comes to learn that his cousin has a dark and violent streak that is becoming increasingly more twisted, and that it's only a matter of time before someone dies--if they haven't already.
The producers took a big chance in casting the youthful star of HOME ALONE as the demonic child in THE GOOD SON. Would Macaulay Culkin fill the bill? Could he fulfill the promise of his multi-million dollar contract and turn in a sinister performance as a truly evil twelve-year old masquerading as an angel? The answer, in a word, is no.
Casting actors against type is always a risky proposition. When it works, the dividends are often huge, but when it fails, the movie usually goes under. Such is the case with THE GOOD SON. Few are less likely to play a conscienceless, nasty-minded boy than the lively Culkin, and when he tries, he does a horrendous job. Henry comes across as a one-dimensional, boring kid who has nothing better to do with his time than shoot bolts at animals, smoke cigarettes, cause ten-car pileups, and tell damaging lies about people who annoy him.
Elijah Wood, who did a solid job in Disney's newest ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN, is better than Culkin--but not by much. There's something not right about Mark. He comes across more like a written character than a real child, and Wood is unable to bridge the gap. A few of Mark's scenes ring true, but at least as many are overly-melodramatic and acted with a distinct lack of inspiration.
The plot itself is rather unimpressive, telling the story of a psychotic pre-teen. There are a number of fascinating psychological issues that could have been exploited, but were left untouched in favor of presenting a straightforward thriller. For example, we get precious little motivation for Henry's actions. There are a couple of throw-away lines that explain one incident, but say little about everything else.
The movie makes a few futile attempts to use Mark's guilt about his mother's death as a plot device, but it keeps getting in the way of the overall story. Part of the problem may be that the guilt and grief are never well-presented, and it's difficult to understand why Mark comes to believe that his aunt is somehow the reincarnation of his mother, whose dying words to him were that she would be with him forever. If anything, this element makes THE GOOD SON even less believable than it already is.
The ending of the movie is actually clever, which is a surprise given the routine conclusions to so many thrillers, but those few good minutes do not save the movie. It's far more difficult for a bad motion picture to be redeemed by a strong last scene than it is for a good film to be ruined by a dumb finale.
I'm a little surprised and disappointed that director Joseph Ruben has turned out such a lackluster production (although this isn't his first miss--witness SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, a pedestrian movie if there ever was one). Ruben, whose 1987 sleeper THE STEPFATHER was one of the decade's best thrillers, has, in THE GOOD SON, ignored everything that made that earlier film work: a tight script, excellent atmosphere, and solid characterization.
From the red-clay backdrops of Nevada to the frosty winterscapes of New England, THE GOOD SON is beautifully photographed (by cinematographer John Lindley), but that's one of its few positive points. Not many people enjoy going to the movies just to see pretty nature scenes, but that's just about the only reason for taking a trip to the theaters for THE GOOD SON. Those expecting a good scare would do better to look elsewhere. At best, this is strictly cable fare.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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