The Book of Henry

2017 • 104 minutes

About this movie

Naomi Watts stars as Susan, a single mother of two, working as a waitress in a small town. Her son, Henry (Jaeden Lieberher), is an 11-year-old genius who not only manages the family finances but acts as emotional support for his mother and younger brother (Jacob Tremblay). When Henry discovers that the girl next door has a terrible secret, he implores Susan to take matters into her own hands in this imaginative and emotional drama from director Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World).

Ratings and reviews

I have very mixed feelings about this movie. On one hand, the first half is touching, charming, quirky, and well-acted enough to stand on its own. I was beginning to believe that I was watching something special. But once a dark twist comes in, the movie falls apart with wild tonal inconsistencies, plot holes, disjointed scenes, and bizarre storytelling. I admire it's attempt at being original and trying to say something, but the film as a whole doesn't quite come together. Nowhere near as bad as critics say, but not as good as it could've been. 4.5/10

I'm glad I'm not a professional critic. That means I get to enjoy the beauty of a thing without applying all the filters and gibberish that make you sound like you know what you're talking about. This was a beautiful movie. A very unique experience for me. No CGI, no explosions, no car chases. It felt like something real you can hold in your hands and be introspective about it. Too many voices can cloud a vision. Take it for what it is. An excellent movie.

Just from the trailer they made it seem like an inspirational movie about the difficulties of being gifted, then it goes on to being a thriller? Also the "gifted" boy doesn't seem gifted at all, especially by the way they sculpt his character.... This is just one of those junk movies to try to ignite emotions... Many movies made nowadays are pure junk that doesn't illustrate anything authentic...