Joshua
User Score
5.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 30
  3. Negative: 11 out of 30

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  1. Jason
    Dec 31, 2008
    10
    After a single viewing, 8 out of 10. given my perspective after a second look, and thought about this film, l consider it an unmitigated masterpiece. while the title character seems at first like a demon, it is soon clear that demons surround him. I am grateful to the filmmakers for the introspection this film gave me.
  2. MichaelL.
    Mar 12, 2008
    9
    Maybe you need to be a New Yorker to appreciate this subversive, creepy homage to Hitchcockian subtlety. An indictment of self-involved yuppie parents, the film examines a typical, dysfunctional monied Manhattan family and creates an ambiguous game of "who's the real psychotic?" that plays brilliantly to city dwellers whose line between sanity and paranoia is crossed daily. More of a morality tale about the results of Narcissistic parenting than a "Bad Seed" rip-off (thank God), this is a smart, scary, disturbing little gem filled with terrific performances (Vera Farmiga is brilliant as the medicated mommy, Sam Rockwell is the perfect parody of self-satisfied smarminess) is only for the thinking-person. All others should watch "The Good Son" on DVD...… Expand
  3. ChadS.
    Jan 12, 2008
    6
    Ned(Dallas Roberts) knows that mental illness runs in his family, but he stands up for Joshua(Jacob Kogan) after Brad(Sam Rockwell) accuses his son of a vicious attack on a loved one. Abby(Vera Farmiga) has a chemical imbalance, so it would be reasonable to believe that Joshua inherited the family curse. The mother's sociopathical behavior almost steals the spotlight from her son. "Joshua" is like "Carrie" in this respect. To bolster his story, Sam should've impressed upon his brother-in-law the incident at Joshua's school and the fate of the family pet. For much of its running time, "Joshua" is a taut psychological drama that never goes overboard by presenting its titular character as being possessed by a demonic spirit. With great subtlety, the movie suggests that the mother may possibly be culpable for a lot of Joshua's problems. Family secrets are kept off-screen. But the movie loses its credibility with me when Brad doesn't emit a sense of revulsion against Joshua if he believes his boy to be a cold-blooded murderer. We also miss Abby, since Farmiga delivers the film's best performance. What's interesting about "Joshua" is our mixed feelings towards the boy. How can he be a pure villian if his parents don't truly love him?… Expand
  4. helloyou
    Jan 10, 2008
    10
    Give it a 10 only to offset some of these very low scores some of the unintelligent viewers have given. Without those I'd give the film about a 7. When you hear a movie about a kid that kills people and outsmarts adults; it's easy to scoff at it due to how ridiculous that sounds. However this movie pulls it off with ease by being ambigious with the character of Joshua. You feel sorry for him yet are also repelled by him through characters like Brad, played excellently by Sam Rockwell. He's a man trying to keep his family together but failing miserably due to a newborn, a looney wife off her meds, and a son that feels neglected. The brother of the wife spends a lot of time with Joshua and the boy ends up seeing this man as a father figure rather than his own dad. Joshua wants his dad to neglect him in a sense; "You don't have to love me". It is never clear whether Joshua is the cause of the death around him, orchestrating the demise of his father and the destruction of his not so happy family. The end scene, after Joshua has pulled off his plan, where he sings to the brother is probably the creepiest scene in ANY movie I have ever watched. It sent chills up my body and that can be greatly attested to the actor's (Joshua)performance.… Expand
  5. MikeyO.
    Jul 26, 2007
    1
    Don't bother with this movie! Some of the performances are okay, but nothing can overcome a bad script! This film is poorly plotted, uninvolving, and just plain stupid. I saw this dud in a movie theater with exactly three other audience members (a hit it's not), and we all groaned when it was over. If you're looking for a good psychological thriller, you're out of luck--this movie was a huge disappointment. I've seen better movies on "Lifetime"!… Expand
  6. DanielW
    Jul 20, 2007
    7
    Anyone who has had children will get cold sweats from the movie's first act. The anxiety-ridden nights in which even silence seems ominous, the fear that there is somehow something "wrong" with a baby who just will not stop crying, and the growing suspicion that one will simply not be up to the task -- it's all rendered here in pitch-perfect manner. Unfortunately, a movie cannot survive on mere ambiance, and so the filmmakers introduce a plot that often leads them into absurdity. But they create some genuine flesh-crawling moments along the way.… Expand
  7. hughie
    Jul 17, 2007
    8
    Well constructed and well acted.It does require intelligence and patience from the viewer however!
  8. DWilly
    Jul 17, 2007
    3
    The metacriitic amateur reviewers have this turkey pegged for the disappointment it is as the professionals once again overrate an unscarey movie for how they wish it would have been (see 1408, no wait, don't see it, it stinks!). The boy is kept in a buttoned up shirt, often with a tie, ewwww... but, as a robot without motivation of any kind, he's a total bore. Vera Farmiga fails to be compelling before she disappears into a looney bin halfway through, and this leaves the movie in the incapable hands of Sam Rockwell, good at smirking, but a leading man he is not.… Expand
  9. adam
    Jul 14, 2007
    1
    This is a terrible movie. We actually walked out on it. DOn't see it unless you enjoy wasting your money.
  10. Spongeee
    Jul 13, 2007
    5
    Ah, this movie is pretty depressing. It drags at times and has no real redeeming values except for the music that Joshua plays. Its not much of a thriller and leaves you questioning the screen and almost laughing at the characters. Def not a date movie...I didn't get laid bc it was friggin depressing.
  11. KevinR.
    Jul 13, 2007
    0
    Do not go! This movie is pointless, stupid and an utter waste of time. I left the theater feeling like I wanted my money back, my time back, my friggin carbon dioxide back! The pace of this movie is glacial and by the time you get to the end desperately hoping for some kind of payoff to make it seem somewhat worthwhile, the ending is so pathetic that you want to throw things at the screen. Stay away, stay far away.… Expand
  12. SamJ.
    Jul 11, 2007
    0
    How anyone could issue a perfect grade for such a tepid, tedious, underdeveloped and laughably acted piece of junk is beyond belief. A commercial potboiler in the worst sense of the word, and that's a better point.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    50
    So what's wrong with Joshua? Two things: The audience is ahead of the movie, and the movie never catches up.
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  2. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Rene Rodriguez
    75
    To lump in this smart, subtle, deviously effective thriller with "The Omen" or "The Good Son" is neither fair nor entirely accurate.
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  3. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Shawn Levy
    83
    There's drama here, and moments of genuine tension, but there's fun, too, which is the point of a movie like this. To Ratliff's credit, he never lets the considerable craft get in the way.
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