The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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Where to Watch The Boy What to Know Critics Reviews Audience Reviews My Rating Cast & Crew More Like This Related Movie News Videos The Boy Photos The Boy References
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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The Boy

The Boy

What to Know

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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Critics Reviews

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The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (1) 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 The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (2) 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 The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (3) 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 The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (4) 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 The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (5) 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 The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (6) 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 Read all reviews
See Also
The Boy movie review & film summary (2016) | Roger Ebert

Audience Reviews

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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 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/24/24 Full Review Josman H It's not awful, but it's not great either. Some dumb moments but you can enjoy it tho Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/18/24 Full Review Yuri M Another fun horror movie Rated 4.5/5 Stars • 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 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/09/24 Full Review Null S Honestly, I’ve got no clue why people have rated this movie so low. It’s the good ole fashioned horror, with some great plot. Wish there was the tiniest bit more, but this movie does it all for me. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/21/24 Full Review Iamwhoi M Messy movie, with not much reason for the things that happen. I can't say much more without ruining the "surprise," which you can guess VERY early in the movie. Let's just say, it's been done better MANY times before. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/17/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

William Brent Bell Director Lauren Cohan Greta Evans Rupert Evans Malcolm Jim Norton Mr. Heelshire Diana Hardcastle Mrs. Heelshire Ben Robson Cole
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The Boy

The Boy: Trailer 2 The Boy: Trailer 2 1:01 The Boy: Trailer 1 The Boy: Trailer 1 2:34 View more videos

Photos

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The Boy

Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." (L-R) Jim Norton as Mr. Heelshire and Diana Hardcastle as Mrs. Heelshire in "The Boy." (L-R) Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans, Diana Hardcastle as Mrs. Heelshire and Jim Norton as Mr. Heelshire in "The Boy." A scene from"The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." View more photos

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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The Boy | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

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