Mr. and Mrs. Heelshire introduce Greta to their young son, Brahms, a life-sized doll. Mr. Heelshire later informs Greta that they lost their son in a fire some 20 years before and that this has become their normal coping mechanism, however strange it may seem. Mrs. Heelshire is very strict and there is a particular set of rules that must be followed to the letter by Greta. Apparently, they've gone through many nannies in the last year, but Brahms likes Greta more than the rest.
At first, Greta laughs at this peculiar charade, but then she sees how very serious the boy's parents are about it and she plays along. When the parents go on holiday, she feels like she is finally free to be herself and she tosses the doll in a room and begins to relax, even planning a date on the town with Malcolm. When her date is thwarted in a rather strange way, leaving her stuck in the attic all night long, she begins to believe that perhaps Brahms, or his spirit, actually is alive and well in the Heelshire home, and she begins to take his care and the rules very seriously, even finding herself interacting with the doll, reading aloud to him, and playing his favorite music on the record player. When an unexpected visitor to the house upsets the proverbial apple cart, Greta discovers that there is far more mystery at the Heelshire homestead than she could have ever imagined.
I really enjoyed The Boy thoroughly. The film wraps up nicely and I liked the direction it took, bouncing between a supernatural and logical explanation. Even though there are no special features, save a digital copy of the film, I would recommend this film on a dark and rainy night and it even warrants a second watching, now that I know the ending. Recommended.
