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A Monster Calls

Play trailer 2:28 Poster for A Monster Calls PG-13 Released Jan 6, 2017 1h 48m Fantasy Adventure Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 265 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother. His father has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window one night. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality.
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A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls

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Critics Consensus

A Monster Calls deftly balances dark themes and fantastical elements to deliver an engrossing and uncommonly moving entry in the crowded coming-of-age genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald A Monster Calls is an adaptation of a children's book with a title that makes it sound like a horror movie. Neither of these things should obscure the fact that it's the most mature film of the year -- and one of the most moving. Rated: 4.5/5 Jul 26, 2017 Full Review David Stratton The Australian It's a small, almost delicate film that will richly reward those who connect with it. Rated: 4/5 Jul 21, 2017 Full Review Angie Han Slashfilm If you're in the mood for emotional catharsis, A Monster Calls is one of the weepiest experiences I've had at the theater this year. Rated: 7/10 Jun 13, 2017 Full Review JD Duran InSession Film I loved A Monster Calls, and the moment I have to deal with tragedy, this is a film I will come back to. Aug 8, 2024 Full Review Joe Lipsett Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast Occasionally janky FX aside, Bayona's film pulls on the heartstrings in the same way Ness' source material does. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 16, 2024 Full Review Brendan Cassidy InSession Film J.A. Bayona’s vision of Patrick Ness’ well regarded children’s book is a wild blend of gothic imagination and fairy tale charm, supported most importantly by an innocent look at grieving. Jun 18, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Micah H So many films are predictable, but as the ending scene approached, I saw many possible endings for this masterpiece—keeping me in suspense. The characters, storytelling, and artistry of this bittersweet movie are not easily rivaled. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/05/24 Full Review Alexis G Such a great movie. My kids loved it too. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/07/24 Full Review Test T I watched this on DVD recently. The sound effects are amazing, and really brought my cinema surround system to life. When the monster first appeared it was so noisy it sounded like my house was falling down! However, once the novelty had worn off, I started to get a headache and turned the volume down. Moving on, I found the story difficult to follow. It appears to be a journey through a young boy's imagination. Fairly mediocre cartoon animation is woven with special effects in dreamlike scenes I found confusing. It's a shame because Liam Neeson has an ideal voice for telling a scary story. I'm afraid to say that unimpressed by the animation and the stories, I quickly became disinterested. In the 'normal' sequences when the monster is offscreen, the mood is quite dark and repressive. I did not like it, but the acting is good with precisely spoken dialogue which may appeal to some viewers. I did like the musical score, which oddly was quite uplifting at times. This is not my kind of movie, and I struggled with it. I think it's the kind of film that is made for film industry insiders, and not ordinary viewers like myself. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/05/24 Full Review Thomas P No other movie hits my sad g-spot like this Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/12/24 Full Review Alec B It's rare for a film of this kind to argue for total honesty and acceptance of hard truths where children are concerned. Lewis MacDougall gives one hell of a performance. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/03/24 Full Review Douglas K Childhood fantasy that anyone could relate to who has gone through any kind of trama. The acting is great along with the special effects. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews
A Monster Calls

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A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Don't Touch Anything A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Don't Touch Anything 1:06 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - What Took You So Long? A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - What Took You So Long? 1:02 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Lunch Room A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Lunch Room 2:19 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - In the Eyes A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - In the Eyes 1:24 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Messily Ever After A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Messily Ever After 1:46 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Break the Windows A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Break the Windows 1:13 A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - I've Come to Get You A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - I've Come to Get You 2:03 View more videos

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A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Science of Group Emotion A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Science of Group Emotion 3:25 A Monster Calls: Featurette - Making Of A Monster Calls: Featurette - Making Of 1:32 A Monster Calls: B-Roll 2 A Monster Calls: B-Roll 2 5:33 A Monster Calls: B-Roll 1 A Monster Calls: B-Roll 1 5:00 A Monster Calls: Featurette - Creating a Monster A Monster Calls: Featurette - Creating a Monster 1:43 A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Story Behind the Story A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Story Behind the Story 1:39 A Monster Calls: Trailer 1 A Monster Calls: Trailer 1 2:28 A Monster Calls: International Teaser Trailer 1 A Monster Calls: International Teaser Trailer 1 1:34 A Monster Calls: Teaser Trailer 1 A Monster Calls: Teaser Trailer 1 1:20 View more videos
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A Monster Calls

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features Photo Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Conor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother. His father has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (Liam Neeson) appears at his bedroom window one night. Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Conor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality.
Director
J. A. Bayona
Producer
Belén Atienza
Screenwriter
Patrick Ness
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Apaches Entertainment, La Trini, Telecinco Cinema
Rating
PG-13 (Thematic Content|Some Scary Images)
Genre
Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 6, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 14, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.2M
Runtime
1h 48m
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