The Boy

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The Boy

PG-13

Released Jan 22, 2016

1h 37m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

31%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.

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Critics Consensus

The Boy could have gone in any number of scary or interesting directions, but instead settles for usual jump scares scattered throughout a pedestrian plot.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

While I can't say what transpires ends up making The Boy a bad film, it does have the unfortunate effect of making it a less interesting one.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 16, 2016

Full Review

Scott Tobias

Uproxx

With a little more courage and a lot more craft, Brahms could have been the next Chucky or Annabelle. Instead the little creep is as harmless as a rag doll.

Aug 16, 2016

Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

The doldrums of January horror continue with The Boy, another subpar genre offering.

Rated: 1/5

Aug 2, 2016

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Forgettable in a way that many PG-13 horror movies are, but just weird enough to set it apart from the crowd.

Rated: 3/5

May 12, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

In an age where Hollywood is obsessed with demonic spirit possessions, poltergeists, and other ghostly hauntings, The Boy is a refreshing change of pace with fine acting and an effective production.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 22, 2022

Full Review

Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

While The Boy has a nicely creepy atmosphere and tone, it rarely undertakes anything that has not been done before.

Rated: 5/10

Feb 1, 2021

Full Review

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Wiktoria S

The movie was an interesting idea, but it was completely shattered in the process. At first, you think it's actually a scary concept and you wait to see how it's gonna develop. You think the ending has to be really disturbing. Instead, you start to notice the plot is really shallow. But you're still hoping for the best, you're still hoping the plot's gonna get deeper. But no. The "twist" at the end ruins everything even more than you'd expect. Worst movie I've seen lately, complete waste of time. Also, the actors are playing their parts terrible, but I guess you can't do much when the characters are also written terrible. I don't recommend to watch it, unless you want to waste your time on purpose.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/11/25

Full Review

Audience Member

an interesting but complicated film, you need to see the reviews of what really happened

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/31/24

Full Review

Jason W

Wasn't totally terrible. Lauren Cohan was great. I thought the twist at the end was actually decent and the third act was quite compelling.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/24/24

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Josman H

It's not awful, but it's not great either. Some dumb moments but you can enjoy it tho

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/18/24

Full Review

Yuri M

Another fun horror movie

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/16/24

Full Review

Eye C

As a horror movie is interesting but only for the twist at the end, the problem is that for a long part of the movie this one more of the bunch, of movies about a possessed doll.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/09/24

Full Review

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William Brent Bell

Director

Lauren Cohan

Greta Evans

Rupert Evans

Malcolm

Jim Norton

Mr. Heelshire

Diana Hardcastle

Mrs. Heelshire

Ben Robson

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The Boy: Trailer 2

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Synopsis

A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.

Director: William Brent Bell
Producer: Jim Wedaa, Roy Lee, Matt Berenson, Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard Wright
Screenwriter: Stacey Menear
Distributor: STX Entertainment
Production Co: Lakeshore Entertainment, Vertigo, STX Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Violence and Terror|Some Thematic Material)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 22, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $35.8M
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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