Mommy’s Little Boy is a Canadian television movie which mixes in murder, bullying, violence, neglect and lost of innocence. The story revolves around Briana (Bree Williamson), a single mother, and her two sons Eric (Peter DaCunha) and his half-brother Max (Auden Larrat). Briana does not treat her sons equally and, when her favorite (for she clearly has a favorite) dies in a tragic accident, she falls into a state of madness (aided by booze and drugs) and commits a fatal crime…
The tension continues to build until the finale when the story becomes cliché ridden (both in terms of stereotypical characters and development) and predictable. But the film still manages to both intrigue and entertain its viewers.
Most of the enjoyment is derived from the acting performance of Peter DaCunha as Eric, who manages to portray, in a touching manner, the internal turmoil and confusion of a young boy who struggles for acceptance and approval. Eric is supposed to appear vulnerable in some scenes and decisive in others, with a touch of silent madness due to the rather unusual family dynamics at his home. DaCunha delivers the dialogue with an intriguing accent, which further boosts the adorableness of his character. It is almost guaranteed that most viewers will be able to either associate or care about Eric – and that’s an achievement on its own.
Some television movies are made so well that “television” just becomes a label. But that’s not the case with Mommy’s Little Boy. Some of the editing (especially the rapid cuts) and camerawork give away that it was shot on a relatively limited budget. It is not something that could ruin one’s viewing experience per se, but it does affect the story believability at times and it’s definitely noticeable. Still, the overall strong Coming-of-Age nature of the story and Eric’s sympathetic and complex character makes the film well worth watching.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5769006/combined
Like you I very much enjoyed the performances in this movie while sharing your reservations. One aspect I wish the writer had concentrated on more, however, (SPOILER!) is that our young hero has, by the end of the story, killed two people who dared to get in his way and was forced to aid and abet his mother in a third murder as well. This very dark side of his personality is never explored, and indeed we’re left with the impression that his future is bright and hopeful. I’m not so sure.
Ideally the story would have focused on the dark side of Eric`s character ( like in The Boy who cried Bitch ), but that would have required a different approach and may be for a TV production that`s too much to ask for. And after witnessing all that Eric had to endure – I can understand some of his motives – its a survivals game and one can`t always be the victim.