A boy, a monster, and the brutal truth of letting go of a parent.
In short: In the 2016 dark fantasy A Monster Calls, a young boy struggling with his mother’s terminal illness is visited by an ancient, anthropomorphic yew tree. Through three cryptic stories, the creature forces him to confront the most painful, hidden truth: his own secret desire for his mother’s suffering to end.
Directed by J. A. Bayona and based on the 2011 novel by Patrick Ness, the film follows 12-year-old Conor O'Malley. As his mother undergoes chemotherapy for an unspecified terminal illness, Conor is haunted by a recurring nightmare where he fails to save her from falling into a void. The Monster, voiced by Liam Neeson through motion capture, appears at 12:07 a.m. to demand that Conor tell his own truth, asserting that storytelling is the only path to liberation.
The film’s narrative structure relies on the Monster’s parables, which challenge conventional morality. In one tale, a prince murders his beloved to frame a queen and seize the throne, while in another, a parson who refuses to help an apothecary is punished for his hypocrisy. These stories mirror Conor’s internal turmoil, particularly his guilt over his complicated relationship with his grandmother and his father, who has started a new life in the United States.
The climax arrives when the Monster forces Conor to relive his nightmare. Conor finally confesses that he let go of his mother’s hand in his dream because he was exhausted by the uncertainty of her illness. The Monster validates this admission, explaining that such conflicting emotions are inherently human. The film concludes with the mother’s death at 12:07 a.m., leaving Conor to find peace through the art and memories she left behind.
Despite critical acclaim—holding an 86% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes—the film struggled commercially. Produced on a $43 million budget, it grossed only $47.2 million worldwide. Its North American release was particularly difficult; after a disappointing opening, it suffered one of the largest third-week theater drops in history, falling from wide release to just 42 theaters.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: A Monster Calls (film)
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