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The Boy

Play trailer 1:01 Poster for The Boy PG-13 2016 1h 37m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
31% Tomatometer 64 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.
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The Boy

The Boy

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Critics Consensus

The Boy could have gone in any number of scary or interesting directions, but instead settles for usual jump scares scattered throughout a pedestrian plot.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com Aug 16, 2016
2/4
While I can't say what transpires ends up making The Boy a bad film, it does have the unfortunate effect of making it a less interesting one. Go to Full Review Scott Tobias Uproxx Aug 16, 2016
With a little more courage and a lot more craft, Brahms could have been the next Chucky or Annabelle. Instead the little creep is as harmless as a rag doll. Go to Full Review Roxana Hadadi Chesapeake Family Magazine Aug 2, 2016
1/5
The doldrums of January horror continue with The Boy, another subpar genre offering. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh May 12, 2023
3/5
Forgettable in a way that many PG-13 horror movies are, but just weird enough to set it apart from the crowd. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Apr 22, 2022
3/4
In an age where Hollywood is obsessed with demonic spirit possessions, poltergeists, and other ghostly hauntings, The Boy is a refreshing change of pace with fine acting and an effective production. Go to Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine Feb 1, 2021
5/10
While The Boy has a nicely creepy atmosphere and tone, it rarely undertakes anything that has not been done before. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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TJ M @TJ312026 Sep 18, 2026 Is the boy a great movie no but I think it is a good movie does it have issues yes but it's still a good movie and I did get scared during some of it See more Robert P @Superbad Sep 13, 2026 The Boy = a *2* star movie See more B P @Bradster69 Sep 12, 2026 Not Bad, but Not My Favorite See more J H @UpstateNYThriller Jul 22, 2026 8.4/10 Horror, mystery Creepy movie woman has to babysit a doll rural area boys actually living in the wall Maggie from The Walking Dead is in it See more Becky A @RT59308745 Jul 6, 2026 There's enough tangents of storyline to keep the viewers interest. Worth a watch on a rainy day. The plot twist is fairly predictable from early on. See more F L @Noor_00 Jun 4, 2026 Extremely disrespectful to the prophet Muhammad and offensive to millions of Muslim viewers. Unacceptable behaviour from the writers.’’ See more Read all reviews
The Boy

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Cast & Crew

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William Brent Bell

Director

Lauren Cohan

Greta Evans

Rupert Evans

Malcolm

Jim Norton

Mr. Heelshire

Diana Hardcastle

Mrs. Heelshire

Ben Robson

Cole

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The Boy

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The Boy

Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." (L-R) Jim Norton as Mr. Heelshire and Diana Hardcastle as Mrs. Heelshire in "The Boy." (L-R) Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans, Diana Hardcastle as Mrs. Heelshire and Jim Norton as Mr. Heelshire in "The Boy." A scene from"The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." Lauren Cohan as Greta Evans in "The Boy." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A young American named Greta (Lauren Cohan) takes a job as a nanny for an 8-year-old boy in a remote English village. To her surprise, Greta learns that the child of her new employers is a life-size doll. They care for the doll as if it was human, which helps the couple to cope with the death of their own son 20 years earlier. When Greta violates a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring her worst fears to life, leading her to believe that the doll is alive.
Director
William Brent Bell
Producer
Jim Wedaa, Roy Lee, Matt Berenson, Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Richard S. Wright
Screenwriter
Stacey Menear
Distributor
STX Entertainment
Production Co
Vertigo, STX Entertainment, Lakeshore Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Violence and Terror|Some Thematic Material)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 22, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$35.8M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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