Review of Child of God (2014) by Joetaeb D — 01 Feb 2015

Child Of God is a terribly underrated drama. Unlike past adaptations of Cormac McCarthy novels which became critical darlings, this one met a similar fate to The Counselor (Which I also thoroughly enjoyed) and many critics complained about bad storytelling and a lack of reasons to care about the main character.

Make no mistake, Child Of God is a flawed film marred sometimes by an uneven narrative, but it's also an ambitious and compelling drama about a troubled monster as he spirals into the depths of depravity and insanity - becoming animalistic, if you will.

The story is set in the 1960's in Tennessee and follows the character, Lester Ballard, who has recently been forced to leave the property owned by his father who committed suicide years earlier.

Now that he has been forced out of his home, he seeks shelter in a cabin in the middle of the woods and keeps to himself for a little while, until some of his urges outside of food, drink, and going to the bathroom, start to surface when he comes across a prostitute sleeping in the woods whom he tries to rape. He goes to jail, but is later released a short time later.

His social abilities and interactions disintegrate even further when after winning stuffed animals at a carnival, they become his friends and he even talks to them like they were alive, but these interactions just won't do for him.

One day, while wandering through the woods, he comes across a running car with a dead couple inside of it. Seeing the dead woman causes Lester's unfulfilled urges to come to the surface and he proceeds to have sex with the dead woman before taking her back to his cabin and she becomes his make believe girlfriend of sorts until his cabin burns down and he is homeless again.

Now, living in a cave, and with his mental state continuing to decline, Lester then begins to go out and kill people, especially young women whom he has sex with after killing them before hiding their bodies in his cave.

The story is certainly grim and very unpleasant, but I found it to be a fascinating study of how an unstable man goes from being just mentally unstable into a full-blown sadistic monster living like an animal as he lives only to fulfill his urges, no matter how depraved or how he strives to satisfy them. Lester Ballard is a very interesting character and he is what made the film so damn interesting to watch, even during the horrific scenes.

The best acting by far, goes to Scott Haze as Lester Ballard who delivers a brilliant, unhinged, and lurid performance that manages to be chilling, but also allows the viewer to sympathize to a certain degree, which is odd to say, but true. He is what really made the film what it was and truly allowed for his twisted character to come to life. It's hard to look away from the screen because he gives such a great performance. The other cast members are solid as well, but it's the lead actor who truly catches your attention and will keep you following the film as it goes along showing his character's descent into madness.

The film is a compelling drama that will rivet you, sicken you, make you squirm, and also engage you. There's a lot to sink your teeth into with this drama because of the character depth it provides its star. It's a moody film with an eerie atmosphere surrounding it and I was left compelled and fascinated by all that happened.

While the story feels a bit muddled, the acting is top notch, the music is great, the direction is solid, the visual tone and atmosphere are stunning, and it's a film to really contemplate with all its themes and dissections of its fascinating character. Give Child Of God a chance, for you may find something you like in it.