User Reviews

This movie somewhat reminded me of "A.I. Artificial Intelligence", a movie that started out like a drama and in the end felt like a fairy tale story. "Before I Wake" has the feel of a horror movie at times, but turns into, albeit a scary one, a fairy tale. The good: The actors did a fine job, especially the two leads. A well written story and the fantasy effects looks good. The bad: The monster did not look very scary, but I guess there is a reason for that in the story. The movie is promoted as a horror, I guess that will leave some viewers disappointed. This is not The Conjuring or Saw. This is a fantasy with some scary elements.

Decent movie, it has a couple flaws in the script (which I can't really point out without spoiling stuff so I won't bother doing that) but the resolution was brilliant and Kate Bosworth pulled one of her better performances as of late so it's well worth seeing.

If you are looking for a horror movie to have you by the edge of the seat the whole time, this is probably the wrong movie to pick but if you want to see something original (as far as horror's goes at least) then this is not that bad of a pick.

So yeah a solid effort with an emotional punch and it also looks very neat visually.

If you liked HALF LIGHT (2006) with Demi Moore and DRAGON FLY (2002) with Kevin Costner then I think this should be right up your alley.

Advertised as a horror, this film is more a supernatural drama. A unique film with interesting characters and a solid plot. This is until the ending. The ending is disappointing and leaves the viewer with more questions than answers.

The stage curtains open ...

"Before I Wake" is a visual extravaganza - mystical, horrifying, and even magical all at the same time. Not exactly a Horror movie, not exactly a Thriller either ... and not even a Drama. It is hard to classify this movie. What it is, to me, is a Fairy Tale - what could be a terrifying fairy tale, that caters to the eyes.

Some time after the Hobsons lost their own little boy to a drowning accident, they foster another special boy and take him into their home. He is quiet, unobtrusive and is afraid to fall asleep. But when he does fall asleep, wonderful things begin to happen. Physical manifestations of what he is dreaming about actually begin to appear - starting first with colorful butterflies, then their own son next to a christmas tree ... and then the darkness begins to show through. The 'Canker Man' arrives and suddenly, his ability is no longer wondrous - it is deadly.

This movie starts out with a bang as the very first scene grabs your attention and keeps you glued to the screen. As the movie develops though, it loses some of its steam. I was not impressed with Kate Bosworth in this one as the foster mother. She was one of the most boring characters I think I've seen in recent memory. Pretty much devoid of any personality, she just kinda floats from one scene to the next. Her facial expression is the same in every single take.

The strength of this movie is in its visuals. Fantastic - and yet, still not really strong enough to make this a recommend. Overall, I did enjoy the story and young Jacob Tremblay was impressive as the troubled dreamer. But, it was nothing really special or noteworthy. Some people are really going to love this movie, and I can understand why. I personally felt it was just okay.

Before I Wake tells the story of Cody(Jacob Tremblay). Cody has been moving from place to place because, different foster parents have been adopting him from time to time. Now, he is in the care of, Jessie(Kate Bosworth) & Mark(Thomas Jane). Jessie & Mark soon realize, that Cody's dreams physically appear before them, as he sleeps. The deadly fact is, the same thing happens during his nightmares.

Before I Wake is an impressive film. However, it is not that scary. The jump scares are minimal. The suspense is superbly maintained throughout the movie, by director Mike Flanagan. However, the ending of the film, is disappointing & frankly, slightly silly. The biggest flaw with this movie is that it is not properly categorized. It is supposed to be a horror movie but, it feels more like a fantasy thriller. The script by Mike Flanagan & Jeff Howard is original & unique. However, I liked Flanagan & Howard's previous collaboration, Oculus(2013) better. Jacob Tremblay's performance as Cody, is the highlight of the film. Tremblay continues to impress us with his supreme acting ability, after being lauded for his performance in Room(2015). Kate Bosworth is great as Jessie. Thomas Jane is effective as Mark. Annabeth Gish is good as Natalie. Dash Mihok is awesome as Whelan. Antonio Evan Romero, Kyla Deaver & Hunter Wenzel are amazing as Sean, Annie & Tate, respectively. Before I Wake is not a must watch. Still, it is worth a watch if you have some time to spare.

This is a very "nice" suspense/horror movie - with a satisfyingly good ending that explains and ties things together neatly. As with most horror movies - i went in without too great an expectation and was pleasantly surprised that i really liked it.

This movie may be a little bit too soppy or "nice" to be classified a real horror movie.

It does not rely much on jump scares. Actually it uses scares only sparsely - and instead goes with story and mystery. The roles of the foster parents are actually nicely done and acted. They are a lot less clichéd than countless other "typical foster parents in suspense/horror movies".

Special effects were alright but not too great - i would have loved to see more practical effects, because the CGI kind of made it look like a rather cheap computer cut-scene sometimes.

All in all - recommended - but not if you are looking for a real scare. Personally i d rather classify that movie as a fantasy story with scare elements.

The film was shot and edited well. Adult actors play at their best. The plot does not shine with originality, but it is quite interesting to watch. Recommended for viewing by all fans of the genre.

I'll admit the trailer didn't grip me, I watched it and thought I wouldn't enjoy it, big mistake, this is such an imaginative horror, which defies all the usual horror cliches, the usual proceedings are turned on their head, the child, Cody, is a really nice kid, not the usual Damianesque monster you are normally guaranteed. The parents are not sadistic or twisted, they're just trying to do their best and get by.

The film is a visual treat, when it's intended to look good it's beautiful, the butterflies look stunning, so bright, and on the flipside the moths and Canker Man look menacing and dark.

The scares are good, plenty of things going on, but you need to keep watching and concentrating. I wouldn't say it has much in store for those that love gore and twisted horror, it would be tame for those, but for the casual horror viewer, this is a smashing movie.

The ending was the only part I felt was a little bit of a let down, such a good film deserved a better conclusion.

Well worth seeing, 8/10

I just saw it at the cinema and I really loved it. It's an amazingly beautiful horror film! Something type like "A Nightmare on Elm Street", "The Amityville Horror", "Mama" and "The Possession"..

The story was really interesting! The kid Cody (Jacob Tremblay) has unusual nightmares, but he can't live without nightmares until he finds one thing to realize something..

The acting were good, but Jacob Tremblay (the kid who played in "Room") was absolutely a fantastic and very cute kid in it.

Don't expect a scary movie that is actually scary, but it has some scary parts and good jump scares. The special makeup is amazing! The ending was beautiful and just sad, but also happy!

I gave "Before I Wake" a 9.5 out of 10. I recommend this movie if you want to watch it, it will give you an enjoyable time!

This movie is a mix of fantasy/horror/drama and has alot of heart. I don't know if you can call it a horror movie, a family drama, or a supernatural thriller, it's kind of all of them.

If your expecting to be scared, you'll be disappointed, instead you'll be moved to tears almost.

Last night i came through it on Netflix, first i watched its trailer and i find it very interesting and gripping. So i started watching movie and soon with some good moments it become repetitive and boring. Movie had a old concept of dream and sleep like in Freddy or nightmare on elm's street but with cute angle of little kid having superpower which make it good concept. But it didn't hold much as movie gets slow with time not gripping, thrilling enough and even horrors scene weren't scary. Good parts about movie is some scenes with little kid Cody(Jacob Tremblay) acting and ending was good. So overall its average, one time watch or you can watch it for Little Kid Jacob. Last scene also leaves room for sequel which i believe Netflix should try because movie have good concept and the Kid is really talented and we all have seen his Wonder.

Based on my thoughts on Occulus and Hush, I've come to expect a great plot and questionable execution from Flanagan's productions and he did not disappoint in this. The heavy reliance on butterflies and a woman coming to appreciate and love a child that's not her own (among other things) reminded me of a better horror movie; Mama. All this did was make me wish I was watching that instead of Before I Wake. But then again, Before I Wake isn't a horror movie and it shouldn't have been marketed as one. The film is one part fantasy, one part drama and one part horror/thriller (whatever you want to call it) but it has a difficult time balancing this out. The script and screenplay is too half-baked to advance the film to the heights it wanted to reach.

While the characters are not totally flat, it's hard to grasp their motivations exactly. The mother (Kate Bosworth) seems to be driven more by a sense of obligation to her son and later as some sort of moral obligation to herself and her husband instead of an emotional drive toward her adopted son. (This is something which was smoothed over in the last scene of the movie though.)

Throughout the film, I had no idea how it was going to end. I was confused about where the film would go but unfortunately, so were the filmmakers. Not being able to develop a screenplay which could support the aspirations of the movie as a drama/thriller/horror/fantasy film, the ending was vague and the movie itself was full of ineffective jump scares and loud noises. Cody's affliction never manifests beyond the typical horror genre clichés that Flanagan relies so heavily upon.

Despite this, the story is undoubtedly interesting and would have fared well as a stand alone fantasy film in the hands of the right director/ writer. The dream sequences are often beautiful, the closing act has a bittersweet melancholic note to it and Before I Wake does have moments that inspire some emotion in the heart of the watcher. But so many things are skimmed over and left unexplained, even in the real world the movie tries to depict (how can one bring hidden confidential files home or break into a foster home)

While it is not totally incompetently directed, it is a messy film which can't find focus. Before I Wake is entertaining enough and fairly enjoyable, but one can't deny that it is filled with clichés and certain sequences which often become flat out boring or worse, laughable.

And no this is not a criticism of the movie. Nor your reaction to it. While it's hard to tell what qualify as boring for some, I do believe this is decent enough to keep your on your toes (or the edge of your seat/bed), without you being in danger (no pun intended). Which cannot be said about the characters in this one.

And while there are some inconsistencies throughout, and the usual "why and who on earth would do that in real life?" moments, will not be a big enough obstacle for your viewing pleasure. It is what it is and yes when it comes to kids, this one ranks pretty high in the horror list. The actors make this worthwhile I guess.

I've enjoyed Mr. Flannegan's movies before this one. But right from the start Before I Wake got on my nerves. You've got the perfect couple living in an amazing house without any visible means of support. What do they do for work? The kid is ridiculously adorable mini-Bieber with a cutie-pie pout and way of speaking. Perfect perfect perfect. It's pure Hollywood fantasy.

Then there's the usual holes in the think-through of the basic concept. Like, how did the people at the orphanage (or wherever the kid was staying between foster parents) not know about his weird powers? How come no one ever thought to take him to some doctors/scientists to figure out what was going on? (The Exorcist got this part right and was all the scarier for it) How come 'let them go' results in just one release? (though we see multiples coming loose from the roots). How come the wife seems oh so fine with the situation as it stands at the end of the movie?

I get that this is a fantasy movie... but if EVERYTHING is unbelievable/implausible then the fantasy elements are lessened and just more of the same nonsense.

Yes, the movie is well made, the acting is fine. My gripe, as usual, is with the writing... with the way the characters don't behave like real people. Except for a bit of spooky stuff this could have been kids movie about a magical boy living in a magical land full of magic. So my end opinion is, 'Ick!'

I scored this a 10. Let me tell you why:

Rarely does a film surprise me at all but this film certainly did. Mike Flannigan created an enigmatic speculative on childhood love, loss, fear and death that is both uniquely interpretive and otherworldly fantastical. For those who go into this film anticipating a run-of-the-mill horror film with gruesome effects and bloody deaths, you will be exceedingly disappointed. This film is provocative in that it makes you think and feel throughout. It is at times vastly uncomfortable, but magnificently redemptive. What it achieves is a rare feat- one I would classify more in the realm of Pan's Labyrinth than something like The Ring. What it suffers from is completely misdirected and misleading marketing which has done this gem a huge disservice.

I'd watch it again. I'd recommend it to friends. Refrain from judging it based on the posters or the trailer. It's far greater than it's packaging and will probably be better received by audiences who expect more substance.

After the death of their boy, a couple bring home an orphan boy - but will the fate of his former foster-parents come back to haunt this new family?

The set up is nicely observed and well thought-out, leaving an expectation that we're in for some spooky working out of the mother's repressed emotion. But even as those plot points are made, the story goes deeper into the boy's repression, allowing a further order of psychology to double down, until the pieces fit and resolution is found for all concerned.

Impressive story, but a few elements tried my patience. The over-precise CGI and heavy-handed horror tricks gave me a bit of uh-oh early on. Then the swelling violin music in the second act came over schmaltzy. Finally, the exposition in the resolution took away from the sense of mystery, so that it felt like a puzzle solved rather than a trauma survived.

The performances are all good, and the direction and editing keep up a pretty good pace.

Overall: Psychic shock to middle-class family life, ending on a Spielbergish note of coziness.

I saw this film on Netflix mainly because it was recommended by a friend at work. It was interesting and hardly a waste of time, but like so many horror movies throughout history, it had something, but it did not fully deliver. It amazes me how often this happens, perhaps it is easy to come up with a creepy concept, but it is just hard to find a satisfactory way to finish said horror film. This one starts out very well, has some good creepy stuff going on, but kind of ends in a very dissatisfying manner that it made me enjoy the film less than I should have. One thing that surprised the heck out of me is when I came to this page to review the film, Thomas Jane was the dad. I do not know how the heck I did not recognize him when I was watching it!

The story has a couple who have recently lost a child about to become foster parents to a troubled, but super polite young boy. This young boy seems to want to avoid sleep at all costs as he chugs sugary drinks and takes those pills that keep you awake. The mother tries to get him to sleep, but when the boy does strange things seem to happen around the house. Seems, butterflies appear and it is not long before the parents realize that the boy's dreams manifest themselves in the real world. The mother tries to take advantage of this gift to see her deceased son, but the father is opposed to using the boy this way. However, soon, both parents find out that not only do the boy's dreams manifest themselves, but so do his nightmares!

The cast is pretty good and the film is rather well done. It has a similar premise to another film, "The Disappointment Room" in that both films feature a couple who have recently lost a child, though this one is far superior to that one. The ending is disappointing though, as it tries to be kind of happy, but it leaves so many things unanswered. Thankfully, though, the film has pretty good pacing and enough things good about it that the ending doesn't totally detract from the rest of the film.

So the film had its moments, it just could have done a bit more to finish things out. The premise needed to be explored more fully than it was instead of leaving us wandering what the heck happened to certain people. The film features some good creepy scenes and has a rather unsettling creature within. Was not a bad film by any stretch, but not very good either. That is like a lot of horror films, they have a good story going for them and things such as an ending that fails to deliver end up making it less memorable and good than it should have been.