Review of Joshua (2007) by Joshua S — 28 Jan 2008

These crazy, fucked-up parents are completely cold and show no affection toward their son and then blame him for being manipulative when he acts out in a cry for attention. Then the movie throws in ridiculous turns in the plot to paint Joshua as the EVIL one.

Um... his speech is unnatural and creepy because he's a bad actor... not because he's a sociopath. The adult characters are well-acted for the most part, even if their actions are bizarre, unnatural, and irrational.

I think the greatest flaw is in the script. There's a lack of direction... What exactly is the message? the point? If they're trying to paint Joshua as inherently EVIL... they don't do a very good job at it.

Troubled - yes. But the actions, interactions, and reactions of the adults are so odd and unnatural, that Joshua just seems to be floating around the mess, trying and failing at being normal. If they were trying to paint a sympathetic portrait of Joshua - they fail miserably at that as well.

And there is no balance, either. Just a lot of weird moments and unexplainable behavior - on both the child and adults' part.