Outline:
Macaulay Culkin could be remembered as one of the most endearing troublemakers of the 1990s, but if his psychological horror film “The Good Son” had been more successful, he might also be known for portraying a complete madman. If you want to watch, or see for the first time, this underappreciated film in Culkin’s career, it’s currently available on Prime Video.
If Culkin had only appeared as Kevin McCallister in the two “Home Alone” films and starred as the lead in the 1994 movie “Richie Rich,” he would still be considered a legend. However, the young actor was far more active than many people realize. Fans are likely to remember him matching wits with John Candy’s comedic talent in the 1989 film “Uncle Buck” and standing his ground quite well. At the same time, he expanded beyond the world of endearing family comedies, withone of Culkin’s first roles was in the popular ’80s crime thriller series “The Equalizer.”The most significant deviation from his typically family-friendly roles came in 1993 with “The Good Son,” which, at the very least, is intriguing because it marks the only instance where Culkin portrayed a clear-cut villain.
The movie features the young actor playing a troubled child who tries to pull his recently grieving cousin, portrayed by Elijah Wood, into a psychopathic group. The intention was for Culkin to showcase his versatility following his fame as a child star in popular family comedies. It didn’t quite succeed, but the outcome is still undeniably fascinating because it’s so different from Culkin’s other work. Therefore, why not watch it on Prime Video, if you’re not in the mood forMatt Damon and Ben Affleck’s somber Netflix film “The Rip?”
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The Good Son is a unique and intriguing piece in Macaulay Culkin’s acting career.
“The Good Son” features Elijah Wood in the role of Mark Evans, a 12-year-old boy who, following the death of his mother, is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Maine. There, he befriends his cousins Connie (Quinn Culkin) and Henry (Macaulay Culkin; once more, the actor known for numerous previous roles)movies from the 1990s that evoke a sense of nostalgia), who both appear to be fine initially. However, as Mark spends more time with Henry, it becomes increasingly evident that something is wrong.
Certainly, Henry murders a neighbor’s dog, which alone should be enough for child services to intervene immediately. However, the young tormentor is permitted to keep causing chaos, resulting in a highway collision and leaving his own sister in a coma. Mark eventually understands that his cousin is a psychopath who probably killed his younger brother, Richard, the previous year, and urgently tries to convince his extended family to see Henry’s violent tendencies.
“The Good Son” was directed by Joseph Ruben, who also directed “The Forgotten” in 2004, which is a fittingly tragic description of his body of work. It’s truly surprising how many movies Ruben directed featuring well-known actors that now fall into the “I forgot they were in that film” category. “Money Train” with Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, “Return to Paradise” with Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix, and “Penthouse North” with the talented Michael Keaton: All of these films, which went largely unnoticed, were created by Ruben, who did have some notable success with “Sleeping with the Enemy” in 1991, starring Julia Roberts. However, “The Good Son” is one of the more intriguing films from Ruben, as it’s an unexpected choice for a Culkin-led movie. When you find out how this film was made, though, you understand that it was never intended to be such a thing in the first place.
The Good Son faced a difficult production process to turn into an unusual film starring Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin’s role in “The Good Son” was aR-rated horror game that a child should never have played. And remarkably, he nearly didn’t. According to a 1995 report from theLos Angeles Times, it was “The Good Son” that solidified his father, Kit Culkin’s, reputation as the “Stage Father From Hell.” Why? Well, the highly controlling Hollywood dad, whom Culkin later referred to as a “bad man,” reportedly rushed into production on “The Good Son” three weeks before filming was scheduled to start and insisted that his son portray the young psychopath.
His influence stemmed from the upcoming “Home Alone” sequel, with Macaulay Culkin’s father warning that he would withdraw his son from the project unless he was cast in “The Good Son.” 20th Century Fox gave in and replaced the boy who had already been chosen for the role of Henry, causing director Michael Lehmann and others connected to the film to resign. A year later, the movie finally started production with Culkin in the main role and Joseph Ruben directing. The outcome is both disturbing, intriguing, and somewhat absurd, which is why you should watch it on Prime Video right away.
If the thought of Culkin portraying a disturbed child doesn’t appeal to you, consider that the screenplay was crafted by renowned British writer Ian McEwan, known for his 2001 novel “Atonement,” which was celebrated as a contemporary masterpiece when it came out. Although “The Good Son” didn’t receive the same level of praise, its unavoidable peculiarities as a thriller featuring Culkin, originating from McEwan’s imagination, are what make it intriguing.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.