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The Good Son

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2:09

The Good Son

R

Released Sep 24, 1993

1h 27m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

25%

Tomatometer

28 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.

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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.

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Brian Lowry

Variety

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

Jul 25, 2007

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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

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Derek Adams

Time Out

A summer camp classic.

Feb 9, 2006

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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

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Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

Creepy '90s thriller about murderous kid has violence.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 29, 2017

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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

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Yannis M

Underrated film with great performances all around

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/27/25

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Cecilia S

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Geoff M

Such a well done thriller

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/07/25

Full Review

Bradley S

A chronically unappealing film with no redeeming qualities

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

Full Review

Adam K

Maculay at his best and most evil. Would love to see a sequel later in life

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

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Joseph Ruben

Director

Macaulay Culkin

Henry Evans

Elijah Wood

Mark Evans

Wendy Crewson

Susan Evans

David Morse

Jack

Daniel Hugh Kelly

Wallace Evans

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The Good Son: Trailer 1

2:09

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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

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