Oh, what a bad seed “Joshua” is. The tyke who toplines this unjustly ignored 2007 chiller doesn’t look evil, but he sure knows how to misbehave.
“Joshua” got some heady buzz at the almighty Sundance Film Festival before hitting theaters. But that didn’t translate into much in the way of box office clout.
No matter. “Joshua” is a smart, realistic thriller that defies categorization. To say much more might spoil the fun. Suffice to say it follows a yuppie couple (Sam Rockwell and Vera Farmiga) whose life spirals downward after the birth of their second child (Joshua is child numero uno). Young Jacob Kogan is perfect as Joshua in his screen debut, and Rockwell proves anew what a compulsively watchable actor he is given the right material.
(Photo: Jacob Kogan plays the title character in “Joshua,” a chilling feature which got little love during its brief theatrical run)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
mokuren 09.27.08 at 6:18 am
I rented this film off Netflix based on your recommendation. While there was some things I disliked like how stupidly the adults behaved, particularly the father (he should have realized he was next) and how things were resolved or rather left unresolved (I really wanted that kid to get his comeuppance), the last scene at the piano was perfect. The look on the uncle’s face as it dawns on him that his nephew may be a pycho who did what he did - to be with him - fantastic.
Thanks.
cftoto 09.27.08 at 2:26 pm
So glad you dug it … or at least parts of it. “Joshua” isn’t perfect, but it’s very intriguing and certainly not your run of the mill thriller.