Performance & Direction: The Boy Review
Last updated: February 17, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Boy (2015) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 5.7/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Boy features a noteworthy lineup led by David Morse . Supported by the likes of Rainn Wilson and Jared Breeze , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: The Boy
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2015, The Boy is a Drama, Horror, Thriller film directed by Craig William Macneill. The narrative explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving David Morse.
Ending Explained: The Boy
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Craig William Macneill, The Boy attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to drama resolution.
The final reveal recontextualizes earlier scenes involving David Morse, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Boy reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch The Boy?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Drama films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
Top Cast: The Boy
All Cast & Crew →
Where to Watch The Boy Online?
Streaming Hub🎟️ Rent on
Amazon VideoThe Boy Parents Guide & Age Rating
2015 AdvisoryWondering about The Boy age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Boy is 105 minutes (1h 45m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 5.7/10, and global performance metrics, The Boy is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 2015 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Boy worth watching?
The Boy is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 5.7/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Boy parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Boy identifies it as Not Rated. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Boy?
The total duration of The Boy is 105 minutes, which is approximately 1h 45m long.
Best Movies to Watch if you liked The Boy
How The Boy Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Boy
> A look at a boy's behaviour who was isolated from the society. The entire setting reminds us the movie 'Psycho'. More or less it could have had made a good prequel to that, like the portrayal of Norman Bates' childhood. As an independent film from any previous narrative, it was quite good actually. Inspired by a novel that tells the story of a 9 year old boy who runs a motel with his father in a nowhere. In a lonely place where the customers are very rare, how the boy develops his behavious without social consciousness is what this movie is. Trust me, realism means this movie, but there's always flaws in a small budget film like this. If you always scan for logic, you can't enjoy any movie even in small quantity. Empty your thoughts and get into it, then there's a chance you might like it. I'm not saying it'll become your favourite, but the depiction was so good which was quite similar to the recent Austrian movie 'Goodnight Mommy'. It is not a horror, but a thriller-drama. A terrifying theme, that means terror-horror, thus it called horror. Other than that there's no supernatural or sci-fi things in it. It was a decent movie to me, I felt it was slightly underrated. The turnaround in the storytelling was very good yet predictable stuff. The filmmaker must bring a sequel for it, otherwise I'll be very disappointed. 6/10
You gotta see this movie if for no other reason to watch Jared Breeze play a pre-teen sociopath. Suppose to be the first part of a trilogy following the development of this cold blooded killer. The next movie focuses on the teenager and then the final would be his adult adventures. If they wait long enough Jared could be cast as the teenager. You can also watch him on the CBS daytime soap The Young and the Restless! Fun movie, I hope they continue with the trilogy.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
