a film about someone dying of cancer. thats it.

Its a bit more really then just your summation. But all films are fundamentally just about something that can be summed up in a sentence/phrase as simple as you did. The film IMO was about conor coming to terms with not just his mum dying but his gran, dad, the bully etc etc Overall a very different film in it's presentation & delivery but nonetheless a good film. I was secretly hoping for a twist but that was just the fantasy/happy ending expectation that many if not all films almost always have.

I knew that would be part of it but i thought the film would move on in the 2nd half.

Thats all it needed. it was a really well told story

I'm a contradiction 

You could simplify and dumb down any film to a one line summary.

The Shawshank Redemption: A film about a prison. That's it.
The Godfather: A film about the Mafia. That's it.
Schindler's List: A film about a man saving some people. That's it.

For me 'A Monster Calls' had many more layers than a film about someone dying of cancer. It's a film about family, the nature of guilt, about grief and coping with loss, about personal growth, about recognising our imperfections and of course the unconditional love in a parent/child relationship.

I found the film to be incredibly uplifting. The confrontation of guilt and letting go of it was a huge central theme. In doing this one life was saved despite the tragic inevitable loss of another. Great movie.

a film about someone dying of cancer. thats it.

That's a pretty big "it," though...


If you feel like Picard screaming how many lights there are, it's time to walk away from the thread.