'The Book of Henry' Is Something Special

Just 22% approval rating among critics in Rotten Tomatoes?!  Really?  I seriously don’t get it.  I really think The Book of Henry is pretty good.  It has great performances all around, and the plot is novel, unpredictable, and bold.

The movie tells the story of Henry Carpenter (Jaeden Lieberher), an 11-year-old boy genius whose superior intellect allows him to be deeply knowledgeable and excel in various things – from making Rube Goldberg-esque machines to investing in the stock market.  Moreover, he reflects the maturity and acumen of someone beyond his years, serving as the protector of his younger brother Peter (Jacob Tremblay) and the trusted adviser of his mother Susan (Naomi Watts).  When Henry discovers a despicable thing happening with their next door neighbor, he leaps into action – taking matters into his own hands when nobody dares to help.

Giving out more plot details could potentially lessen the impact of its surprises, so I won’t.  Let’s just say that, though it’s not free of flaws – it definitely has parts I wish had been improved – I tremendously appreciate its originality and ambitions.  I found the movie quite charming.

It does this considerable tonal shift which transformed itself into something entirely different from what it started from.  This is probably what turned most critics off, as it may come off messy and uneven.  Now, though the movie truly has a stronger first half than a second half, I nevertheless think that what director Colin Trevorrow did in this movie totally works.

I may be just one of the few that thinks there’s something special with The Book of Henry.  But it’s an opinion that I can comfortably stand with.

Absolutely one of 2017’s must-watch films.