The Boy

2025·Movie
1h 38min
70
GoodGoodWatch score

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

The Boy fingerprint

Strong craft, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

  • Tension4
  • Fast Pace4
  • Adrenaline2

Heart

Nostalgic and melancholic

Much of it is about family.

  • Nostalgia8
  • Melancholy7
  • Family Dynamics7

Humor

Some sharp wit

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay5
  • Absurdist Humor3
  • Situational Comedy2

World

Everyday modern life and family

  • World Immersion7
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Direction7
  • Acting7
  • Dialogue Quality7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyThought-Provoking

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Uncover the story hidden behind every photo.

Actress-director Zabou Breitman embarks on an unusual adventure: imagining the life of a boy discovered in an old photo from an album bought at a flea market. These are the images and memories of an unknown family, which somehow feel familiar. At the center is the boy, with his gaze that is both gentle and melancholic yet joyful. Who is he? What is his true story, the one that unfolds between the lines? What if every individual were also the unwitting hero of a tale? This dizzying family investigation blurs the lines between reality and fiction, sometimes merging them completely.
Meta-NarrativeFamily SecretsFlea Market FindNostalgicMemory and ImaginationFrench CinemaPsychologicalIntrospectiveFilm within a Film

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Boy

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Boy legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for The Boy in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is The Boy worth watching?

70
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 71/100 (IMDb 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes 31%, and Metacritic 70). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

How long is The Boy?

1 h 38 min

The Boy runs 1 h 38 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on The Boy?

Critics51
Audiences54

Yes. Critics average 51 and audiences 54 out of 100, so both groups see The Boy much the same way.

What language is The Boy in?

French

It was made in French. Produced in France.

What tropes does The Boy use?

Red HerringAction GirlOfficial CoupleDriven to SuicideKick the DogSecret SquatterNothing Is ScarierPsychopathic ManchildBig "NO!"Creepy DollAsshole VictimCatapult Nightmareand 28 more

TV Tropes lists 40 storytelling tropes for The Boy, including Red Herring, Action Girl, Official Couple.

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