My Son

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My Son
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that My Son is a British thriller about the abduction of a seven-year-old boy and his parents' desperate attempt to find him. There are moments of violence, including a torture scene, references to child sexual abuse, and frequent strong language. James McAvoy and Claire Foy play Edmond and Joan, the divorced parents of the missing child. McAvoy is in nearly every scene and was tasked with improvising his lines having not been given a script. There are few, if any, positive messages or role models. As Edmond gets increasingly desperate, he resorts to more extreme measures. This includes torturing someone by using a blowtorch on their bare foot. He also puts another man in hospital -- leaving them with broken ribs and a dislocated hip -- and uses improvised weapons to knock people unconscious. In one pivotal scene, gun shots are fired resulting in one man's death and another with a bloody wound in the shoulder. Kids are shown abducted and having gas forced on them in order to keep them unconscious. Reference to a miscarriage. Swearing is frequent and includes variants of "f--k," as well as "s--t" and "pr--k." Two characters share a glass of whiskey together before one downs another glass. Joan also takes sleeping pills, although this happens off-screen.
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What's the Story?
In MY SON, Edmond (James McAvoy) and his ex-wife Joan (Claire Foy) have their worst nightmares come true when their seven-year-old son goes missing. Absent for much of his life, Edmond is determined to find him and resorts to increasingly extreme measures to do so.
Is It Any Good?
The most notable aspect of this British abduction thriller is the fact that its leading actor was given no script and only had a brief outline of how the plot would play out. Sadly it also proves to be My Son's downfall. McAvoy's performance as Edmond -- the increasingly desperate father in search of his missing son -- is admirable, as was his decision to take on such an unconventional role. But it's also distracting, rather than realistic, which was presumably what writer and director Christian Carion was hoping for with this British remake of his own French film, Mon Garçon.
As Edmond bounces from one scene to the next, reacting to each clue one of his fellow characters may, or may not, send his way, the lack of structure makes for a confusing watch. By the end credits, questions that had been asked and story arcs that had been set up, remain unanswered and underdeveloped. The result is what feels like a mishmash of unfinished movies, when what was really desired was just a fully-functional one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in My Son. How did it make you feel? What did the movie have to say about violence? Did it glorify it?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? Was it understandable given what was at stake? If so, why?
Discuss the actions of Edmond. Did he have any other options? If so, what were they? What would you have done in his situation?
James McAvoy was tasked with improvising his dialogue and only had a slight idea of how the story was going to unfold. Could you tell? Why do you think the filmmakers used this technique?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: September 15, 2021
- Cast: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen
- Director: Christian Carion
- Studio: Peacock
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout and some violence
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love thrillers
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