By Paul Hall
For years, books have shared the tales of scary monsters in the closet or under the bed. Today’s kids have not stopped reading, they just tend to explore the stories through different media than their parents may have enjoyed. In the new film Come Play, the delivery device is digital, but the tale is just as spooky as the classics.
Oliver (Azhy Robertson) is a curious child. Exploring the world, going to school, trying to make friends and to fit in is difficult for all children, but in Oliver’s case it is even more so as he is a high-functioning autistic child. As Oliver’s parents, Sarah (Gillian Jacobs) and Marty (John Gallagher Jr.), try to help their son cope, challenges abound. From dealing with bullying to trying to help Oliver find friends, they do their best to help their son succeed. Some of his classmates don’t understand why Oliver gets special privileges. His phone goes everywhere with him as he uses a speech-to-text program that helps him gain some semblance of a voice. But what happens when technology becomes a conduit for monsters?
As electronics everywhere go haywire, Oliver’s phone — and later an iPad — become the delivery device for a children’s book called Misunderstood Monsters. The tale is that of a monster named Larry who has no friends and desperately wants one by any means necessary. When Larry enters the family’s world through the electronic devices, the havoc he causes is real. But just what is the monster’s endgame?
A film that is not a garden-variety scary movie, Come Play relies on a classic horror plot combined with modern technology and storytelling. The film delivers scares that on multiple occasions raised the hairs on my arm. But it didn’t just scare me, it made me think. A discussion of the depth of the film ensued when it finished, and is more than I can get into here, but let it be known that the whole thing goes deeper than most jump scare horror films. Many films in the genre stick to a single scare tactic such as gore or cringeworthy visuals as much as jump scares and surprising appearances. But Come Play does more and is a refreshing change within the genre.
Technology is great, except when it is a gateway to monsters. But isn’t that true of everything in life?
Paul’s Grade: B-
Come Play
Rated PG-13
Stars: Gillian Jacobs, John Gallagher Jr., Azhy Robertson
Director: Jacob Chase
