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A Monster Calls

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2:28

A Monster Calls

PG-13

Released Jan 6, 2017

1h 48m

Fantasy

Adventure

Drama

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Popcornmeter

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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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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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

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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

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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

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LNmck86 .

Really big impact first time saw at the cinema, one at my fam was in a same situation (the mother) and when movie ended i couldnt stop cry for a long while, many ppl in fact were crying, the movie knows really how touch your heart

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/25

Full Review

Hugh S

An absolutely beautiful film. Really moving. Brilliant script. Brilliant animation. Brilliant acting. Brilliant cinematography.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Joshua H

Not as good as the book but does hold it's own

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

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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

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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

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J. A. Bayona

Director

Lewis MacDougall

Conor

Sigourney Weaver

Grandma

Felicity Jones

Mum

Toby Kebbell

Dad

Ben Moor

Mr. Clark

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Don't Touch Anything

1:06

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - What Took You So Long?

1:02

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Lunch Room

2:19

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - In the Eyes

1:24

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Messily Ever After

1:46

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - Break the Windows

1:13

A Monster Calls: Movie Clip - I've Come to Get You

2:03

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A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Science of Group Emotion

3:25

A Monster Calls: Featurette - Making Of

1:32

A Monster Calls: B-Roll 2

5:33

A Monster Calls: B-Roll 1

5:00

A Monster Calls: Featurette - Creating a Monster

1:43

A Monster Calls: Featurette - The Story Behind the Story

1:39

A Monster Calls: Trailer 1

2:28

A Monster Calls: International Teaser Trailer 1

1:34

A Monster Calls: Teaser Trailer 1

1:20

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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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