The Good Son

Play trailer

2:09

The Good Son

R

1993

1h 27m

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

27 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Mark (Elijah Wood), a young boy who loses his mother, must stay with his extended family while his father is away on business. Mark becomes acquainted with his cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin). However, the extent of Henry's depravity becomes clear when Mark sees him kill a neighbor's dog and intentionally create a traffic pileup on the highway. After a supposed mishap on an icy pond with Henry's sister Connie (Quinn Culkin), Mark tries to reveal Henry's crimes before it's too late.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Good Son is never good enough to live up to its unsettling potential, failing to drum up much suspense and unable to make Macaulay Culkin a credible psychopath.

Read Critics Reviews

Brian Lowry

Variety

This peculiar thriller doesn't deliver enough jolts to leave the audience screaming.

Jul 25, 2007

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

There's wonderful use made of a Maine port town, and Ruben gets a dizzying thrill or two out of overhead shots, but the conceptual overload finally prevents this from coming together.

Jul 25, 2007

Full Review

Derek Adams

Time Out

A summer camp classic.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...sporadically watchable yet mostly (and curiously) inert...

Rated: 2/4

Aug 10, 2022

Full Review

Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

Unhappily, although Ian McEwan's screenplay has its strong points, and Ruben skillfully builds tension and suspense, this updated, gender-bent Bad Seed falters at key points.

Jun 6, 2018

Full Review

Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

Creepy '90s thriller about murderous kid has violence.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 29, 2017

Full Review

Read all reviews

Melissa L

Some people are definitely evil. Macaulay Culkin plays an evil son in this movie, and a good son in "Home Alone." He's a very talented actor, because in this film he personifies evil very well. I recommend it

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/05/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom, e o final deu uma salvada no filme.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

Full Review

Gina R

The Good Son has a handsome, scenic look that sustains interest, and a suspenseful ending that is quite literally gripping.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Olivia J

I always rewatch this whenever its on and always find something new in the story and performances

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/02/25

Full Review

Yannis M

Underrated film with great performances all around

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

Full Review

Cecilia S

under the radar film. absolutely love the psychosocial mind bend of this

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Joseph Ruben

Director

Macaulay Culkin

Henry Evans

Elijah Wood

Mark Evans

Wendy Crewson

Susan Evans

David Morse

Jack

Daniel Hugh Kelly

Wallace Evans

The Vanishing

49%

46%

The Vanishing

Watchlist

Rising Sun

32%

40%

Rising Sun

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Rising Sun

Consenting Adults

23%

31%

Consenting Adults

Watchlist

The Temp

32%

18%

The Temp

Watchlist

Unlawful Entry

75%

50%

Unlawful Entry

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Good Son: Trailer 1

2:09

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Mark (Elijah Wood), a young boy who loses his mother, must stay with his extended family while his father is away on business. Mark becomes acquainted with his cousin Henry (Macaulay Culkin). However, the extent of Henry's depravity becomes clear when Mark sees him kill a neighbor's dog and intentionally create a traffic pileup on the highway. After a supposed mishap on an icy pond with Henry's sister Connie (Quinn Culkin), Mark tries to reveal Henry's crimes before it's too late.

Director: Joseph Ruben
Producer: Joseph Ruben, Mary Ann Page
Screenwriter: Ian McEwan
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 24, 1993, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $44.4M
Runtime: 1h 27m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now