A Monster Calls (2016)- BFI London Film Festival 2016

108min

Genre:     Animation, Drama, Fantasy

Director:  J.A. Bayona

Cast:       Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver…and more

Writers:   Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd

-Synopsis-

“Conor” is a 12-year-old boy and yet clearly the man of the house, self-sufficient and a carer for his ailing young single mother; but when life’s struggles begin to take their toll, the local churchyard’s giant yew tree transforms into an imposing monster who guides “Conor” through difficult times with three fantastical stories, in this moving fantasy/drama from director J.A. Bayona.

In a year that’s already given us ‘The BFG’ and ‘Pete’s Dragon’, thus setting a trend for touching family dramas featuring fearsome fantastical creatures who help children navigate life’s hardships; Spanish director  J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage) throws his hat in the ring with an adaptation of Patrick Ness’s British fantasy novel of the same name, itself based on original ideas by Siobhan Dowd who was no doubt inspired by the Roald Dahl classic, as well as her own struggles with terminal cancer.

Bayona may seem a suitable directorial choice considering his horror background, but the title is somewhat misleading and ‘A Monster Calls’  is much more a fantasy drama with a splash of fairy-tale than a straight monster flick. And that’s not taking anything away from the wonderfully depicted “Treebeard”-like creature, expertly voiced by Liam Neeson, who no doubt brought some of his personal experience of guiding children through tragedy to this character.

Indeed the director and his entire cast & crew deserve credit for skilfully adapting a poignant novel and original story, while balancing spectacle and a truly touching narrative with a moral story that’s uniquely honest to children about the realities of life, making it a rarity in modern film and fable.

Young Lewis MacDougall stars as “Conor” in only his second film; a conflicted boy forced to grow up quickly and struggling to cope with complex emotions about his seriously ill mother (Felicity Jones) and her battle with an aggressive cancer, as well as troubles away from home and a changing relationship with his stern and commanding grandmother, expertly played by Sigourney Weaver.

While the monster remains a mystery throughout, leaving the audience wondering whether he is entirely a dream or a manifestation of “Conor’s” psyche, who feeds on and into his emotional state. But there’s no doubt he’s a wizard-come-guardian angel figure; who seems to speak in riddles but guides “Conor” through treacherous emotional waters with fantastical moral fairy-tales, told in the film through striking hand-drawn animation, and indeed art seems to be a secondary theme throughout the movie.

The narrative deliberately stresses the importance of hope and belief, but it never sugar-coats the realities of life even with both, making it a rare family film with frank but touching life-lessons which don’t patronise children any more than they would the adults. And the perceptive nature of the story weaves in magical but frank allegorical tales about life’s struggles and the duality of man, avoiding saccharine happily-ever-afters yet sill managing to be genuinely moving, heart-breaking and hopeful.

‘A Monster Calls’ is a darker and slightly less magical family fantasy/drama than the films and literature which likely inspired it, but it’s arguably more touching and certainly more relatable given the universal heartache of a family dealing with cancer. Fear not though as there’s plenty of action and some stunning visual treats to feast on, not to mention plenty of British charm and humour. But it’s always tinged with bittersweetness in this fantastical yet grounded, layered and astute melodrama.

It may not quite have the magic and dream-like quality of recent children’s fantasies like ‘The BFG’ and ‘Pete’s Dragon’, but ‘A Monster Calls’ is far more memorable and affecting a film, and a lesson in how to make a moving family drama which both entertains and teaches honest life-lessons, to both young and old.

The Bottom Line…

A visually striking and moving adaptation of a poignant story, ‘A Monster Calls’ is a nuanced and honest family fantasy/drama which avoids the pitfalls of the genre and leaves a lasting impression, thanks to expert performances all around and a cinematic craftsmanship of the highest order, under the tutelage of a director who has massively expanded his horizons and now has the task of helming an inevitable ‘Jurassic World’ sequel.

‘A Monster Calls’ is out on the 6th of January 2017 in the UK and US.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The BFG (2016)

An English orphan girl forms an unlikely bond with a friendly outcast giant who refuses to eat people like the rest of his kind, together they embark on a perilous adventure across distant lands and dreams in this lavish Spielberg and Disney adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl children’s novel.

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill and Penelope Wilton among others.

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