The Good Son

A boy named Henry Evans travels to live with his aunt Susan and uncle Jack, where he strikes up a friendship with his cousin Mark, the same age. The new bond feels easy at first, as the two kids share toys, jokes, and plans for summer mischief. But Henry begins to show troubling changes that creep into everyday life. He twists small disagreements into threats, hoards obscure objects, and steels himself against anyone who challenges him. Mark tries to keep things light, yet he senses a growing danger beneath Henry’s charm. The house where they stay becomes tense and charged, as the cousins’ closeness reveals a fault line in the family and a mystery nobody wants to face that year.

Directed by Joseph Ruben, The Good Son adapts Ian McEwan's tense narrative for the screen. Released in 1993, it pairs Culkin's unsettling performance with Elijah Wood's wary presence, crafting a late 20th century thriller about trust, danger, and family secrets.

With a budget of 17,000,000 dollars, The Good Son earned worldwide about 60,613,008 dollars. The solid return for a mid budget psychological thriller reflected strong performances and a marketplace open to darker parental anxieties that resonated with 1990s audiences everywhere.

Over the years the film has lingered as a notable late 90s thriller that put Macaulay Culkin in a chilling light and showcased Elijah Wood as a thoughtful foil. It helped shape the era's approach to escalating family tension, blending horror with ordinary suburban imagery to unsettling effect for audiences.

Critics praised its taut premise and the performances that anchor a story about trust, manipulation and the danger of appearances. The film probes how family loyalty can obscure warning signs, while asking who deserves protection when fear masquerades as affection and a child’s charisma hides a dangerous resolve for audiences.