I attended an advanced screening of this movie. All opinions are my own.

“12-year-old Connor (Lewis MacDougall) is dealing with far more than other boys his age. His beloved and devoted mother (Felicity Jones) is ill. He has little in common with his imperious grandmother (Sigourney Weaver). His father (Toby Kebbell) has resettled thousands of miles away. But Conor finds a most unlikely ally when the Monster (portrayed by Liam Neeson in performance-capture and voiceover) appears at his bedroom window one night.

Ancient, wild, and relentless, the Monster guides Connor on a journey of courage, faith, and truth that powerfully fuses imagination and reality.” –©Focus Features

I have been looking forward to seeing A Monster Calls. I was so impressed by the visuals when I first viewed the trailer. I was also excited because Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, and Liam Neeson were in the film. After watching, A Monster Calls, I fell in love with the story and the characters.

The acting in this movie is excellent, especially from Lewis MacDougall. This movie is such an emotional journey for his character, Connor. He has to grow up so fast dealing with many different struggles as he leaves his childhood behind. For me, this movie works because of his performance.

Visually, this movie is spectacular. The Monster in the movie looks fantastic with a great performance by Liam Neeson. In the movie, the Monster tells different stories to Connor. These sequences are done in beautiful animated sequences. The visuals in this movie are top notch.

A Monster Calls is rated PG-13 “for thematic content and some scary images.” I think this film may be scary and intense for some younger viewers. The movie also has some subjects that may be hard for younger viewers, particularly seeing a child’s pointed of view in watching a very sick parent. I would say that this movie is a great one for teens and parents to see together.

I loved A Monster Calls. It is a fantastic film. Just make sure to take tissues to this movie. I cried a lot watching this film.