The Boy

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
The Boy Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 14+

Unoriginal but well-made "creepy doll" horror movie.

PG-13 2016 97 minutes
Rate movie

Parents say

age 11+

Based on 16 reviews

Kids say

age 12+

Based on 78 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate movie

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Boy is a "creepy doll" horror film. It's not entirely original, but it is well-made, and it could catch on with teen horror-hounds. While not overly gory, characters do die (both by stabbing and via suicide), words are written in blood on a wall, and there are scary sounds and jump-scares, characters fighting and being slammed around, and dead rats. A man and a woman kiss, moving toward sex, but they're interrupted; there's also some flirting and shots of a woman taking a shower (no graphic nudity) and wearing a towel and underwear. Language is infrequent but includes uses of "s--t," "bitch," and "hell." A character drinks wine in one sequence.

Community Reviews

Iz27
Iz27 Adult
October 8, 2019
age 13+

The Boy

It was a good movie with little cussing and sex, and the violence was overall minimal. Brahms (the doll) moved around, but that was off camera. (So it's kind of like a version of Annabelle.) SPOILER ALERT: the only real violence is when the main character's abuse ex comes to town and when the real Brahms goes after her and her new boyfriend. There's also a pair of suicides, and a scene where the main character and her boyfriend kiss. But there wasn't much "bad stuff". Totally recommend. (Also, there's a second movie coming out in December!)

This title has:

Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
user.6
user.6 Adult
August 5, 2021
age 10+

An amazing movie!

This movie was really good and I highly recommend it for ages 10+
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

American nanny Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job in a remote mansion in the English countryside, where she's told she'll be looking after a boy named Brahms. But when she arrives, Greta's shocked to see that Brahms is actually a doll -- and that his "parents" (Diana Hardcastle and Jim Norton) want her to follow a daily routine with it while they're on holiday. At first, Greta ignores the doll, but then strange things start happening: Her clothes disappear, and she finds herself locked in the attic at night. A handsome grocery delivery man, Malcolm (Rupert Evans), tells her everything he knows about the family and helps out, but nothing can prepare Greta for what's really going on inside the house.

Is It Any Good?

While it's not a terribly original entry in the "creepy doll" horror subgenre, this fright flick nonetheless offers interesting characters, a strong cast, expert pacing, and a spooky atmosphere. Resorting to annoying jump-scares only a couple of times, director William Brent Bell (of the decidedly inferior The Devil Inside) takes his time exploring the scary old house, using animal heads, off-kilter angles, and sound to give THE BOY a sense of dread. Bell even goes back to that old standby, the shower scene, to add vulnerability to his character.

The scary things that actually happen are nothing new, but that they happen to the appealing Greta helps a great deal. She seems like a real person with good sense and an actual past, and she relates to Malcolm in a genuine way. Likewise, veteran English thespians Hardcastle and Norton bring dignity and style to their roles, which could easily have been jokey throwaways.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Boy's violence. Which threat was scarier, the one from real life or the one from the doll? How much violence was actually shown? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Is the movie scary? How does it compare to other horror movies you've seen? What's the appeal of the horror genre? What about "scary doll" movies?

  • What would you have done in Greta's place? Take care of the doll? Ignore it and have a good time? Run?

  • Greta has been victimized by various men; does she stand up for herself? How?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

  • Annabelle Poster Image

    Annabelle

    Bloody "Conjuring" prequel is scary, if not too original.

    age 17+
  • The Babadook Poster Image

    The Babadook

    Spooky horror film about a mother, a son, and an evil book.

    age 17+
  • Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Poster Image

    Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

    Scary remake features some gore and a young girl in danger.

    age 17+

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate