JOSHUA
The Good Son
The Popcorn Reel Movie Review: "Joshua"
By Omar P.L. Moore/July 6, 2007
Jacob Kogan as Joshua in George Ratliff's "Joshua", which opened today in New
York and LA. The film opens in San Francisco and other U.S. cities on July
13. (All photos: Jojo Whildon/Fox Searchlight Pictures)
printer-friendly
Wanted: A Father Who Will Care. A Mother Who Will Love
Me. A Family Who Will Need Me. Apply Within. Signed, A
Nine-Year-Old Unwanted Son, J.
Nine-year-old Joshua may have had some measure of success with the would-be ad
above. He probably would have put it on Craig's List, or eBay -- or maybe
not -- his precocious ways and his old-fashioned brilliance at such a young age
would presumably have led him to place the ad in New York magazine or
somewhere within the Sunday New York Times. But if prospective
applicants wanted references they would have the task of watching George
Ratliff's new film, which may or may not convince them of Joshua's goodness.
"Joshua", which opened today in New York City and Los Angeles (San
Francisco and elsewhere on July 13), is a gripping,
suspenseful film that features solid performances from Sam Rockwell (Brad) and
in particular Vera Farmiga (Abby) as a middle-class Manhattan family whose newborn daughter Lily causes a touch of sibling rivalry or perhaps jealousy in the
elder Joshua, who is effectively played by newcomer Jacob Kogan in his debut
feature film role. Things begin to go wrong in the Upper West Side
household: Abby clearly has a case of post-partum depression, and Brad, a
financial trader, is oblivious to Joshua's unhappiness at his apparent rejection
in the wake of Lily's arrival. He calls his child prodigy piano-playing
son Joshua "sport", as if he's talking to an Australian or to his dog, which he
gives more attention than his son these days. Joshua has a devout Christian
grandmother (Celia Weston) who sounds as if she's the second coming of Father Merrin from "The Exorcist".
If the look and feel of Mr. Ratliff's are familiar to some viewers it's because
the director counts "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Omen" among his homage for his
film "Joshua", and we see the brooding tones helped on by the music (Nico
Muhly) and by the
starkness and progressive color drain of the film (from cinematographer Benoit
Debie). "Joshua" however, has
some twists and turns of its own invention and delivers some surprises.
Just when you think the film is heading one way, the films looks to sway
another, or at least take a turn in a more balanced way.
"Joshua" asks the question: is the lead character a bad seed, or a misunderstood
good son? Are Brad and Abby neglecting Joshua? Are they bad parents?
Is Joshua in need of love? Is this movie good? The answer to that last
question is yes. At times predictable, other times unsettling, and still
other times compelling, "Joshua" provides a screenplay (by Mr. Ratliff
and David Gilbert) which has a litany of
lines that chill the spine. As with "Rosemary's Baby", "Joshua" delivers
its power to unnerve, mostly in the power of imagination, and in one disturbing
sequence involving Abby. "Joshua" is an intelligent, thought-provoking
film which also has a kinship with "The Shining", with discrete piano chords
marking chapters of the day since young Lily's birth.
Chills, humor and thrills in "Joshua", a quiet film which neither sensationalizes
the horror-thriller genre nor exploits it.
But before you answer Joshua's ad at the start of this review consider . . .
This?
Polter-what?? Vera Farmiga as Abby onscreen being watched by Jacob Kogan
as Joshua, in "Joshua".
Or This?
One big happy family: (seated) Sam Rockwell as Ben and Vera Farmiga as Abby,
with Jacob Kogan as Joshua, and either Shianne Kolb or Lacey Vill, both of whom
play baby Lily in George Ratliff's "Joshua".
"Joshua" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for language and disturbing behavior by a child. There is an unsettling scene involving Abby that may be disquieting and disturbing to some viewers. The film's duration is one hour and 45 minutes. The film also features Dallas Roberts and Michael McKean, and opens in San Francisco and other U.S. cities on July 13.
Copyright The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. 2007.
All Rights Reserved.