A Monster Calls: Self-reconciliation through the stages of grief
‘Well, every one can master a grief, but he that has it.’ says Shakespeare. Losing someone whom one deeply loves is nothing that can be compared to any sorrow. Grief, especially, could be the most personal one since what happens between two people is impossible to fully understand. When it is parent and child, dynamics in the relationship and why they are the way they are are even harder to be come out in the wash.
A Monster Calls tells the emotionally compelling story of a boy named Connor dealing with the idea of losing a parent to a terminal illness while the other one is estranged already. For such a little boy, trying to cope with a situation like this makes his first ever emotional breakdown only a matter of time. Connor, notwithstanding his inexperience of confronting what is waiting for him in the outside world, subconsciously tries to find strength, even it is all imagination. He unwillingly pricks up his ears when a big dreadful tree outside his bedroom window grabs him in his hands and warns him about the upcoming nights when he will come and tell stories that would make Connor reveal the truth. The truth he hides from himself. On paper, it could look a bit childish; a child makes an imaginary mentor to help him get through probably the hardest part of his life on earth. The story though, is depicted such bone-chilling, blood curdling, frightening way that it sees the audience off on a journey with Connor.
Lewis MacDougall plays for high stakes considering this is only his second movie. He literally carries the movie on his shoulder with the help of Felicity Jones as his mother and Sigourney Weaver as his grandmother. The effective voice of Liam Neeson should also be noted. Still, if MacDougall weren’t this entrancingly honest in terms of exploring fragility of his character, nothing else would makes this movie work. Everything starts and ends with him displaying the vulnerability but also keeping the fearless soul on the surface. Even though they do not share many scenes together, the chemistry between the actors in bodies of mother and son is so realistic that it can be interpreted as any kind of relationship between two people. The scenes they don’t share benefit the narrative as much as the scenes they do. This achievement also belongs to Patrick Ness who is the screenwriter of the movie and the book it was adapted from. It should also be noted that the original idea comes from Siobhan Dowd, who passed away from cancer before finishing the story.
The most difficult story Connor has to be all ears is a story about overcoming with the feeling of guilt. The guilt of wish for his mum to pass away because she doesn’t respond the treatment well which makes Connor’s life a living hell. It should always be in the mind this is a kid we are talking about here. A kid that beats up other kids at school to death so he would get the punishment that comes after guilt of letting go of his mother who basically means the world to him since he is utterly alone. The way robustness of a child with mental condition he has is treated is truly distinctive with the harshly pure sensation ceaselessly spreading throughout the story.
J. A. Bayona made a distinguished name for himself as a director making highly sensational movies with the visionary cinematographer Oscar Faura. What differs them from the others is the reckless enthusiasm to get to the core of the emotions characters carry on through their adventure and fearlessly visualizing them through the journey of uncovering the gut-wrenching truths endured in silence in thrilling stories. So, the adaptation A Monster Calls for the big screen to the hands of Bayona and Faura fits like a glove.
