A Monster Calls (2016) – Review

Before I start this review…yes, the tree in this movie looks a lot like Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy, which probably is coincidence and besides that he’s completely different…now back to my regularly scheduled program:
Kids dare to let their fantasy run wild. A simple stick can change into almost anything and each new space they enter is filled with potential for new stories. Their fantasy can also be used to deal with difficult situations where the things they make up might give them comfort.

12-year-old Conor (a wonderful role by Lewis MacDougall) lives together with his mother, who is suffering from cancer. He loves to draw and at school he is usually daydreaming. He is bullied though and getting out of school is always challenging because he doesn’t know whether or not a group of bullies is waiting for him. When he gets home and goes to bed in the evening he suddenly hears a loud, thunderous voice outside the house, calling his name. It turns out to be a huge tree, which has come to life. It tells Conor he will tell him three stories and that Conor has to tell his story to him when he’s finished. The story has to be the truth, his truth. Conor is rebellious, but when the monster appears the following night he listens to what the tree has to tell. He listens to the other stories too, while the viewer witnesses the events that take place during the day and the struggles Conor is facing.

 Director J.A. Bayona previously managed to impress with The Impossible and succeeds again bringing a beautiful story with lots of emotion to life. The way he does this is worth mentioning as well because the stories which the tree tells are presented through animation. All those stories and experiences by Conor and his family lead to a heart wrenching climax which you won’t be able to forget any time soon. So this isn’t a simple kids film about a boy and a talking tree, it is so much more and very pleasant surprise to watch.