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Child of God

Play trailer Poster for Child of God R 2014 1h 44m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
42% Tomatometer 50 Reviews 26% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In the 1960s Tennessee, a violent loner loses his last vestige of humanity as he enters a downward spiral of madness, crime and degradation.
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Child of God

Child of God

What to Know

Critics Consensus

An obviously reverent adaptation that fails to make a case for the source material being turned into a movie, Child of God finds director James Franco outmatched by Cormac McCarthy's novel.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Romney Film Comment Magazine Sep 15, 2014
With Child of God, Franco has come up with something distinctive that both captures the atmosphere of McCarthy's neo-Gothic universe and suggests a consolidation on the director's As I Lay Dying. Go to Full Review Alonso Duralde TheWrap Aug 3, 2014
Beautifully shot, well acted, and the score is lovely, but the film has nothing to say about the human degradation in which it wallows. If you're gonna make me smell dung for two hours, at least fertilize my lawn. Go to Full Review Andrew O'Hehir Salon.com Aug 1, 2014
There's no denying Franco's ambition, and in "Child of God" you can see evidence (almost for the first time) that he's reaching for something he may one day attain. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Aug 30, 2019
2.5/5
There's a captivating performance and a queasy ambience to the film that at least makes it a sober sort of hillbilly horror. Go to Full Review Forrest Cardamenis The Film Stage Jun 23, 2016
B
Child of God toes the line between success and failure - but, ultimately, leans into success, and occasionally threatens to leap into it entirely. Go to Full Review Mark Jackson Epoch Times Jun 13, 2016
3/5
Ultimately the movie's message is that community is sacred, all God's children should be cared for, and the destitute need a human net to save them from descent into madness. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Max M @Househuntermax Aug 30, 2026 Uuuhhhh, I was not ready for where this movie went. Don’t get me wrong. It’s hella good. But it starts out as a drama, turns into a crime movie and ends up in horror territory. Recommend, but subject matter is definitely not for everyone. See more William B. @A1reviews Dec 28, 2025 Almost a 4 star movie. It's pretty good it's pretty weird. Not for kids! The main actor is very good, plot excellent See more Trish K @RT89574836 Oct 9, 2025 Extremely disturbed psychopath. You can see this type of character on the daily news, don't care to see it a movie. James Franco is a sick a**hole. See more Don S @RT67300157 Apr 8, 2025 Great movie but definately not in the Hollywood mold. See more Ron R @RT76285883 Aug 2, 2023 Sad and disgusting. No redeeming value that I can see. See more N L @RT67044741 Jun 24, 2023 The guy takes a dump on camera. What else do we need in a movie? See more Read all reviews
Child of God

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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James Franco

Director

Scott Haze

Lester Ballard

Tim Blake Nelson

Sheriff Fate

Jim Parrack

Deputy Cotton

James Franco

Jerry

Brian Lally

John Greer

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Child of God

Child of God (2013) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the 1960s Tennessee, a violent loner loses his last vestige of humanity as he enters a downward spiral of madness, crime and degradation.
Director
James Franco
Producer
Caroline Aragon, Vince Jolivette, Miles Levy
Screenwriter
James Franco, Vince Jolivette
Distributor
Well Go USA
Production Co
Rabbit Bandini Productions
Rating
R (Nudity|Language|Aberrant Sexual Content|Some Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 1, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 27, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$37.9K
Runtime
1h 44m
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