Joshua

A cross between The Omen (shorn of supernatural elements) and The Bad Seed (with a gender switch), this is a genuinely unsettling thriller about a brilliant but manipulative nine-year-old boy who reacts to the birth of a baby sister by methodically ridding himself of parental control so that he can enjoy the life he wants with a doting uncle. Almost preternaturally quiet and inconspicuous—except for his piano practicing and an odd interest in Egyptian burial practices—little Joshua plays on the stress his mother feels over the new arrival, pushing her into madness, and then engages in mind games with his suspicious father designed to send dad over the edge, as well. Yes, the film is implausible—why does it take so long for anyone to diagnose the mother's postpartum depression?—but Joshua still works because director George Ratliff, collaborating closely with his cinematographer and composer, effectively builds an atmosphere of dread, and tyro star Jacob Kogan successfully combines impassivity with a subtly dangerous aura. Avoiding gross-out effects in favor of suggestion, Joshua is a decorous creepshow, and all the better for it. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an audio commentary by director Ratliff, five deleted scenes, interviews with cast and crew members, Kogan's audition tape, the music video for “Fly” performed by Dave Matthews, and a trailer. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an effective chiller.] (F. Swietek)