The Book of Henry

Gregg Hurwitz had a first draft finished by 1998. Jenette Kahn optioned it, Colin Trevorrow came aboard to direct, left for Jurassic World, then returned in early 2015. Shooting began that September in and around New York City and wrapped in November. Focus Features first dated the release for September 2016, then moved it to June 2017. It opened to 1.4 million dollars from 579 theatres, ended at 4.6 million worldwide and never reached half of its 10 million dollar budget. Reviews were heavily negative, yet audiences polled by PostTrak that weekend gave it an 86 per cent positive score; the gap describes the film better than any single notice. Michael Giacchino wrote the score and Stevie Nicks sings a new song for it. The BBFC classified it 15, saying the abuse of the girl next door by her stepfather is strongly implied, treated with discretion and not shown; the same page lists the terminal diagnosis of an 11 year old boy, the bereavement after it, and an offscreen suicide. A good fit if you want a child’s plan taken seriously and carried through, and do not mind the register sliding from family drama into thriller halfway. Not for anyone who will resent illness, grief and abuse turned into plot machinery; the BBFC advice says where each sits.