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Poster for The Book of Henry

The Book of Henry

Seen it?

2017 | 105 min | Drama, Thriller, Mystery

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Audiences rate it highly (7.5 out of 10), though it had just 22% on Rotten Tomatoes and a box office flop. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Conversation or The Prestige, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Tense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 45 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
  • Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

Susan, a single mother of two, works as a waitress in a small town. Her son, Henry, is an 11-year-old genius who not only manages the family finances but acts as emotional support for his mother and younger brother. When Henry discovers that the girl next door has a terrible secret, he implores Susan to take matters into her own hands.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsWeak

    22% on Rotten Tomatoes, 31 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.5 out of 10

  • AwardsWeak

    1 win and 0 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $10 million worldwide on a $10 million budget

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 154K people sought it out in the past year, and interest is climbing

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

  • Naomi WattsSusan Carpenter
  • Jaeden MartellHenry Carpenter
  • Jacob TremblayPeter Carpenter
  • Sarah SilvermanSheila
  • Lee PaceDr. David Daniels
  • Maddie ZieglerChristina
  • Dean NorrisGlenn Sickleman
  • Bobby MoynihanJohn
  • Tonya PinkinsPrincipal Wilder
  • Geraldine HughesMrs. Evans