‘Humans are complicated beasts…’
There are two types of people in the world. Those who see a tweet proclaiming A Monster Calls as the most emotionally eviscerating film ever made and rush to watch that film, and those that see the same tweet and question why on earth anyone actively seek something like that out. As a long time proponent of sadness, I of course, am the former. And while A Monster Calls didn’t quite tug on my heartstrings as I had expected, it is still a timeless and wonderful tale.
In the midst of his mother’s (Felicity Jones) cancer treatment, Conor O’Malley (Lewis MacDougall) is visited by a wise, old tree (Liam Neeson) at 12:07am across three nights. Together, Conor and the tree learn to navigate his mother’s illness, his semi absent father (Toby Kebbell) and his strict grandmother (Sigourney Weaver).
What I loved about A Monster Calls is its ability to evoke some of the most iconic children’s stories (A Christmas Carol, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Labyrinth etc etc) whilst still conjuring the ability to shock and surprise. Every time the wise, old tree told Conor one of his stories (beautifully rendered in simplistic animation), I thought I knew where the tale was heading, only to have the rug pulled from under me every time. Neeson is the perfect choice to play the eponymous monster, imbuing his performance with a warmth and passion that only he could provide.
Visually, everything looks incredible, director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) ensures that the special effects are just as dark and magical as the rest of the film is – and make no mistake, despite being ostensibly a children’s film, this is a pitch black piece of work. But as a kid raised on the dark side, I would strongly argue that there is a place for grief and sadness whilst still appealing to children. Indeed, all your favourite fairy tales had obsidian origins.
A Monster Calls is the kind of film that kids today should look back on in 20 years with a fondness in their heart, and for those that caught it, I’m sure they will. Bayona’s unsettling fable deserves a bigger audience, but for now, it can stay as an intimate cult classic. A wonderful secret for those that stumble across it. I loved it.