The Good Son Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A grieving kid visits his cousins, discovers one is a mini-sociopath, and tries to convince the adults before anyone gets nail-gunned.

🍿 The Good Son: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Grief and Arrival

Following his mother’s death, young Mark Evans is sent to stay with his aunt and uncle, Susan and Wallace, and their children, Henry and Connie, in Maine while his father, Jack, travels to Tokyo for business. Mark is grieving and finds solace in the seemingly perfect family life of his relatives. He quickly bonds with his cousin Henry, who appears to be a normal, playful boy.

Disturbing Discoveries

As Mark spends more time with Henry, he begins to witness increasingly disturbing behavior. Henry displays a lack of empathy and a fascination with death, engaging in cruel acts such as torturing animals and causing a massive highway accident by dropping a dummy onto the road. Mark becomes increasingly alarmed by Henry’s actions, suspecting him of being a sociopath.

Rising Suspicion and Isolation

Mark tries to confide in his aunt and uncle about Henry’s behavior, but they dismiss his concerns, blinded by their affection for their seemingly innocent son. Henry manipulates situations to make Mark appear unstable and untrustworthy, further isolating him. Mark becomes determined to expose Henry’s true nature before he can cause any more harm.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Mark (Elijah Wood): A grieving boy sent to stay with his aunt and uncle, who discovers his cousin’s psychopathic tendencies.
• Henry (Macaulay Culkin): A seemingly innocent boy who exhibits increasingly violent and psychopathic behavior.
• Susan (Wendy Crewson): Henry’s mother who is initially blind to her son’s true nature but eventually faces a terrible decision.
• Jack (David Morse): Mark’s father, who leaves Mark with his relatives after the death of Mark’s mother.
• Wallace (Daniel Hugh Kelly): Henry’s father and Susan’s husband.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Henry: “Accidents will happen.” – Henry says this casually after orchestrating dangerous situations, revealing his lack of remorse.
• Mark: “He’s not normal. He’s gonna hurt someone!” – Mark exclaims this in frustration when trying to convince the adults of Henry’s true nature and potential for violence.
• Henry: “Don’t fuck with me.” – A chilling threat delivered by Henry to Mark, showcasing his aggressive and confrontational side.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $17,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $44,789,789
• Worldwide Gross: $60,613,008

💥 The Good Son Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, “The Good Son” messed with my head. Seeing Macaulay Culkin as anything but Kevin McCallister was jarring, to say the least. But it was also kinda brilliant. The way he could flip from angelic to sinister was seriously creepy. Elijah Wood played the traumatized kid so well. I felt so bad for him trying to convince everyone his cousin was psycho. The cliff scene? Intense! It’s a flawed movie, but it definitely stuck with me.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of psychological thrillers”
  • “Viewers interested in films exploring the dark side of childhood”
  • “Those who appreciate strong performances from young actors, particularly Elijah Wood”
  • “People who like movies with suspenseful storylines and moral ambiguities”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Violence”
  • “Animal cruelty”
  • “Disturbing themes”
  • “Implied child endangerment”
  • “Psychological manipulation”
  • “Some coarse language”

Professional Reviews

• Variety: “Culkin’s unsettling performance adds intrigue, but the film’s reliance on predictable thriller tropes ultimately diminishes its impact. Wood delivers a solid performance, though his character is more reactive than proactive. The film struggles to balance psychological depth with suspenseful thrills, resulting in a somewhat uneven experience.
• The New York Times: “The film suffers from uneven pacing and a lack of subtlety, undermining its potential as a truly chilling thriller. While the performances are adequate, the script fails to explore the characters’ motivations in a compelling way, leaving the audience feeling detached from the unfolding events.
• Chicago Sun-Times: “Ebert: The movie’s main problem is the lack of any sense of why Henry is so evil. Without any character development, Culkin’s character seems one-dimensional and lacks purpose.

Audience Reactions

Culkin’s performance as the evil cousin was surprisingly chilling and memorable.: Macaulay Culkin’s twisted role surprised and disturbed many viewers.

The ending cliffhanger was a nail-biting moment that left viewers emotionally conflicted.: The ending was intense, but viewers are divided on the mother’s choice.

Overall Consensus: “The Good Son” is a disturbing thriller with memorable performances, but is considered flawed because of weak writing and unrealistic plot. Culkin’s portrayal of the evil cousin is a standout, but the overall film is not as appreciated as others from the early 90s.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Macaulay Culkin’s father allegedly leveraged his son’s involvement in ‘Home Alone 2’ to secure his role in this film, resulting in a change of directors.”
• “The film explores the theme of nature versus nurture, questioning whether psychopathic tendencies are innate or environmentally influenced.”
• “The role of Henry was a deliberate attempt to subvert Macaulay Culkin’s child-friendly image and showcase his acting range.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Good Son?

The Good Son is available for streaming on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, where it can be rented or purchased. Check local listings for television airings. Availability may vary by region and streaming service subscription.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Good Son, you might like these similar films:

• The Bad Seed (1956): Classic portrayal of a seemingly innocent child with homicidal tendencies, predating ‘The Good Son’ and setting the standard for the subgenre.
• Orphan (2009): A modern thriller featuring a deceptively innocent-looking child who harbors dark secrets and poses a threat to the family that adopts her.
• We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011): Explores the complex relationship between a mother and her disturbed son, delving into the psychological impact of raising a potentially sociopathic child.
• The Omen (1976): A supernatural horror film featuring a young boy who is the Antichrist, exploring the theme of innate evil in a child.

🛒 The Good Son Related Products

• The Good Son [Blu-ray]: High-definition Blu-ray edition for collectors, featuring enhanced picture and sound quality, plus behind-the-scenes content.
• Macaulay Culkin Signed Home Alone Photo: A signed photograph of Macaulay Culkin from “Home Alone”, adding an iconic piece to any Culkin fan’s collection.
• Elijah Wood Autographed Lord of The Rings Photo: An autographed photograph of Elijah Wood from “Lord of the Rings”, a great piece for all Wood’s fans.
• Board Game: Psychopath Test: A psycholody themed game to reveal the true psycho in you. 3 to 10 players. Ages 14 and up. 30 to 45 minutes. This is not medical science, just a game to enjoy.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Good Son features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Theme from The Good Son” – performed by Elmer Bernstein
• “Ice Dance” – performed by Elmer Bernstein

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Richie Rich – Nostalgia Critic

Ever wonder what Macaulay Culkin was up to besides playing creepy kids? This Nostalgia Critic review of Richie Rich gives you a peek into another side of his child-star fame. Honestly, it’s fascinating to see how different (or not!) he is in this role, and it makes you think about the pressure those kids must be under!

✨ Rate