JOSHUA (2007)

Directed By: George Ratliff 
Written By: George Ratliff & David Gilbert 
Cinematography By: Benoit Debie 
Editor: Jacob Craycraft 


Cast: Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Jacob Kogan, Dallas Roberts, Celia Weston, Michael McKean, Linda Larkin, Alex Draper, Haviland Morris 


The Cairn's life seems to be a harmonic family: The father Brad works as a stockbroker, his wife Abby takes care of their common new-born daughter Lily, and the 9-year-old Joshua is high-talented. But the appearances are deceptive. Joshua becomes gradual jealously, that his parents give the baby more attention than him. Therefore he begins to terrorize his family.

This little film that could is scary and simple for the fact of how evil the child is and there is no explanation really. No supernatural force, no work or product of demons. Just pure evil.

The film could be naked diary of a young sociopath. The thing that really works for this film was being subtle and not making the whole movie about his acts and how evil he is.

The family had problems before Joshua and after him, if anything Joshua just knew how to alter and tamper am already explosive situation and lit the match. So not only cannot explode but continue burning. While he watched it cinder into ashes. Just the last shot alone expresses the fear and shock you feel watching this movie. Which works well from the psychological angle instead of the gore and guts angle.

Sam Rockwell as always proves he can do no wrong with a strong lead dramatic performance. As a man whose life and family are unraveling around him. While it is supposed to be the happiest time of his life. His role is not defined by his hair. Which you might be lead to believe at first.

Vera Farmiga in her performance annoyed me here. As her character seems to be written that way in the first place. As she is sane at first but making the leap past post partum depression into full on bat shit crazy. If she was like this after Joshua’s birth why would they have another kid? One can find a little joy when her character went away.

Part of the horror of this film is worrying about the safety and welfare of this baby. Who is constantly in harms way.

Jacob Kogan who plays Joshua has just that scary normal looking but malformed looking face that you usually see only on propaganda films of hitler youth. He’s just scary and unnerving but good in his part, too good?

This film should have been bigger, it came out and seemed to rush out of theaters. This is definitely one to go out and seek to rent as soon as possible.

My main complaint is that one didn’t like the way it was shot too many interiors And stilted camera movements. The piano score constantly playing unnerves you and sets the mood for the unsettling story you watch unfold. After awhile you feel sorry for Sam Rockwell’s character. As you realize he is a helpless victim who seeks to really be not able to do anything to protect himself or his newborn. 

Then the ending it feels like this was all as sick, tricky convoluted plan just so he can live with his gay uncle who he seems to be in love with. Making Joshua not some kind of possessed demon spawn but more a sociopath


GRADE: B-