It must have taken some balls to make "The Good Son" - a change-of-pace if there ever was one - right at the peak of Macaulay Culkin's popularity as a wholesome, family-friendly child star, but the gamble paid off: this movie has held up very well over the years. Fluidly directed by the unheralded Joseph Ruben, with sweeping camera work and a vivid sense of place that makes the location another character, with a script that builds the suspense gradually towards a memorable cliffhanger (literally) of a climax, and further aided by a rich music score by the legendary Elmer Bernstein, this is one of the most successful thrillers of its era. Culkin is surprisingly good at being bad (and amoral, and manipulative), Elijah Wood is just as solid, and Wendy Crewson is the mother any (normal!) son would like to have. *** out of 4.
Review of The Good Son
