I came across this movie called "The Good Son" through the book "The Empathy Trap: Understanding Antisocial Personalities" discussed here. The book is a great read for anyone interested how exactly psychopaths (and soziopaths for that matter) operate.
I have coloured the spoiler alarm parts in blue, the rest is safe and interesting to read, even if you have not watched it yet. (Spoiler Alarm means, those parts of the movie are meantioned there, that would give away important stuff before you watch it...).
Here is what Dr Jane McGregor and Tim McGregor had to say about that movie in the book:
We watched the movie and we all can't understand why the movie was so slated, as well. (My guess is, because it portrays child psychopathy (and psychopathy in general) pretty accurately). It is a very good portray and very well played story of a psychopathic child and how he uses and manipulates others. A exact portay of a psychopathic child and his effects on the normal people around him and especially on the "empath" in this story as well.
Having said that, the movie isn't easy to watch, since the actions of the child literally make your stomach turn, not because of any graphic scenes, but because of the highly cruel and cold way that child operates and the terrifying results.
Highly educational movie about Psychopathy in general and especially how it manifest in children. I especially like how accurately they managed to show how ice cold and absolutely vicious psychopaths manipulate everyone around them, while presenting a mask of normality.
I think it is the best movie I have seen so far, about how psychopaths work and manipulate.
It is a real eye opener for people who have, or had, experience with psychopathy, and more specifically, with child psychopathy.
It is also available in german and it is called "Das zweite Gesicht".
It should be said though, that this psychopath, portrayed by the child, is not the smartest one and that more sophisticated psychopaths will not behave exactly in that manner outwardly, like this child does (for example if they have a very high intellect and were raised by smart and empathic people). Although the really good ones use the same types of cruel interpersonal manipulations, like this child does, they are smart enough to not do and exhibit it in the manner like this child does. So many psychopaths (and child psychopaths for that matter) are doing it in a more subtil way, but the mechanisms described in the movie are still the same.
From time to time during the movie (a lot of opportunities there!) one can stop and discuss the signs the psychopathic child exhibits and the interpersonal dynamics in the family (and those around them) and how, what each person says and does contributes to the story and in which way. Quite interesting.
In how many families is something similar happening and the psychopath (actually no matter who it is in the family) gets away with it, in contrast to the ending of that movie? Not every family is so lucky and most of them instead suffer for years under that inhumane pressure.
I have coloured the spoiler alarm parts in blue, the rest is safe and interesting to read, even if you have not watched it yet. (Spoiler Alarm means, those parts of the movie are meantioned there, that would give away important stuff before you watch it...).
Here is what Dr Jane McGregor and Tim McGregor had to say about that movie in the book:
We watched the movie and we all can't understand why the movie was so slated, as well. (My guess is, because it portrays child psychopathy (and psychopathy in general) pretty accurately). It is a very good portray and very well played story of a psychopathic child and how he uses and manipulates others. A exact portay of a psychopathic child and his effects on the normal people around him and especially on the "empath" in this story as well.
Having said that, the movie isn't easy to watch, since the actions of the child literally make your stomach turn, not because of any graphic scenes, but because of the highly cruel and cold way that child operates and the terrifying results.
Highly educational movie about Psychopathy in general and especially how it manifest in children. I especially like how accurately they managed to show how ice cold and absolutely vicious psychopaths manipulate everyone around them, while presenting a mask of normality.
I think it is the best movie I have seen so far, about how psychopaths work and manipulate.
It is a real eye opener for people who have, or had, experience with psychopathy, and more specifically, with child psychopathy.
It is also available in german and it is called "Das zweite Gesicht".
It should be said though, that this psychopath, portrayed by the child, is not the smartest one and that more sophisticated psychopaths will not behave exactly in that manner outwardly, like this child does (for example if they have a very high intellect and were raised by smart and empathic people). Although the really good ones use the same types of cruel interpersonal manipulations, like this child does, they are smart enough to not do and exhibit it in the manner like this child does. So many psychopaths (and child psychopaths for that matter) are doing it in a more subtil way, but the mechanisms described in the movie are still the same.
From time to time during the movie (a lot of opportunities there!) one can stop and discuss the signs the psychopathic child exhibits and the interpersonal dynamics in the family (and those around them) and how, what each person says and does contributes to the story and in which way. Quite interesting.
In how many families is something similar happening and the psychopath (actually no matter who it is in the family) gets away with it, in contrast to the ending of that movie? Not every family is so lucky and most of them instead suffer for years under that inhumane pressure.
