A visually spectacular and unabasedly emotional drama from director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible).
12-year-old 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 (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (portrayed by Liam Neeson in performance-capture and voiceover) 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.
The role of Conor is a very demanding one, physically and emotionally. Lewis was so courageous, so present, so truthful.
MacDougall is fantastic in what should be considered an Academy Award-worthy performance.
Felicity Jones is absolutely devastating.
And if you need to break things, then by God, you break them good and hard. And I'll be right there. You might not see me, but I'll be right there, breaking 'em along with you.
One of the best films of 2016.
I saw this as a powerful and important story to tell as a movie – an adventure that anyone can relate to.
Belief is half of all healing. Belief in the cure, belief in the future that awaits. Your belief is valuable, so you must be careful where you put it. And in whom.