We Hate Movies - S16 Ep830: The Book of Henry (2017) [EXTENDED PREVIEW]

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

This is an extended preview of this month's Patreon-exclusive WHM episode on The Book of Henry! To access the full episode, click through here and sign up for Patreon today! “I hate how Henry talks to his mother, it sounds like he’s dating her” - Eric On this patrons-only We Hate Movies episode, we’re finally discussing one of the most requested titles in show history, The Book of Henry! How terrible is this story trajectory? How obnoxious is the titular Henry? Why was this the only way forward this supposed kid genius could think up to solve this problem with the neighbors? How depressingly wasted is Dean Norris in this movie? Does Sarah Silverman’s character have a thing for the kid? And why did they even bother having this Lee Pace doctor character come back into the movie? PLUS: How about we start auditioning a little more thoroughly for these school talent shows, huh? The Book of Henry stars Naomi Watts, Jaeden Martell, Jacob Tremblay, Dean Norris, Lee Pace, Maddie Ziegler, Tonya Pinkins, Bobby Moynihan, and Sarah Silverman as Sheila; directed by Colin Trevorrow. Don’t sleep on snagging your tickets to our 15th Anniversary show this December where we’re talking all things Arnold in Total Recall! It’s gonna be a gas and we wanna see you there! Click through for tickets now! Be sure to pick up our digital show on Terminator: Dark Fate, available now in our Patreon shop! Throughout 2025, we’ll be donating 100% of our earnings from our merch shop to the Center for Reproductive Rights. So head over and check out all these masterful designs and see what tickles your fancy! Shirts? Phone cases? Canvas prints? We got all that and more! Check it out and kick in for a good cause! Original cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.

The weirdest part about Henry, aside for everything, is that he doesn't get picked on at school. He is, like, everyone, when everybody loves him and then like when they're picking up, like, even when they pick on, like, even when they pick on little Jacob Tromblay, his classmates are picking on him. and they're like no and Henry's like stop or whatever the kid's like sorry Henry but he just sucks you're great he's nothing I'm like the second this kid gets up

and corrects the previous kid's presentation he's getting egged like I don't know at best like you get shoved in in so many lockers by telling people their presentation sucked and yours is so great but you're forgetting we're talking about angelic perfect

kid genius Henry this kid's fucking bulletproof man except when it comes to brain tumors apparently but everything else a problem yeah Steve you're underselling that bullying scene because he's a little douchebag at least you're smart he's a nothing he's a nothing he's a nothing they're chanting he's a nothing and I just thought it was amazing that's a tough one to live down in grade schools you a nothing yeah once you're dead he's going to have nothing oh wait did I ruin it oh I'm sorry but that scene actually happens after a few quick ones like where we go

what she picks him up from school but we do see their fucking million dollar tree house well it's also trading some stocks uh uh eric he's uh on the phone he's just given the fucking born into a bull market and that fucking great it's a benefit of being born into a bull market you see money investor and what i hate about this is like how it the script like hides what he's done for her for no reason

it's all this like come on mom you don't have to work anymore you know that why do you work out the shitty diner why don't you get a new car and it's like not till the ass end of this movie that Bobby Moynihan's character opens this woman's male and is like you have

$680,000 in some financial account or whatever and it's like why doesn't that shit kind of front load the movie you got narration from this little turd like I made a bunch of investments and now our family's cushy because our shitty dad left. Can kids even legally do

these trades? I know the e-trade baby was trying to mainstream it. No, I don't think so. I think the e-trade baby lied to you, Eric. Okay. Yeah. I guess that's the weird part, too, like, when he buys all this stuff. Later on, he's like, Bob, don't worry, I bought you a car. I'm like, where is his, where's his fake

documentation? Where is he like? Oh, oh, I got right. I got the whole solution right here. Okay. Okay. Credit card. You got it. We just don't see all the scenes of him fooling adults over the phone. Got it. That's the thing. I just need him to meet a scumbag. Like, I know you're just

kind of, just, hey kid, could I help you out? Here's $500. I just need you to buy me a car. You give me a fake passport and just like a list of like five things. And he's like, you've got it, kid. Could you also get me a bottle of cognac to go with to take you? Hey, hey, Darylick Bill. All right, here's a thousand dollars. I want you

invest in these tea bills and then this one and don't buy any of that more of that crack rock derelict bill oh no derelict bill's not around i'm gonna go to crazy ralph hey crazy ralph can you make some investments for me oh oh little henry you got a death curse on you boy oh not long for this world death curse oh you're so crazy ralph oh yeah we love you don't so yeah they got this big ass fucking tree house that sucks you need to be like dad built this before he left or something because how are these kids putting Henry did it. And he also,

Henry also built this massive Peewee's playhouse style machine that frosts cookies or something. What's the most useless piece of shit invention I've already seen. Because that's the weird part. And I think that that's sort of where the screenplay is supposed to be fun is like, wow,

he's such a genius. But he's got the heart of a child, doesn't he? Oh, he made this big machine. It's just going to frost some cupcakes or something. Because kids like sweet. yeah that's so fun

they're so creative they're fun their kids they're so creative and you see how he's nice to his younger brother Peter right because he's doing all this big important work in the tree house

but he also has time to do like the cupcake machines like that's for Peter he says like Peter wants to build something he's what do you want to build Peter I want to build a flying trampoline he's like nice to him you know he's not like that's bullshit

you are nothing that bully was right he should say that he should but he does not because he's a he's a decent brother i thought what was going to happen here by the way we get this scene where naomi's like hey sit in this bath by yourself and count out the state capitals why i go downstairs in game for a while and i knew like just from the way folks have talked about the movie i was like something something happens in the movie and i was like this old kid's going to drown in the tub that's exactly what's going to call out the state capitals the most useless knowledge you'll ever have it does You don't need to know a single one of those.

Albany, New York. And then, mhm, mom, do you still hear it? Yeah, I hear. I hear him doing it. He's doing it. Achievement unlocked. I hate the way Henry talks to his mother.

It sounds like he's dating her for some of this. Yes, yes. When did you get this young engineer award, Henry? No big deal, babe. That's the vibe of this movie. You should never, ever hit a child, ever. Or hit on one either. This kid should shove, just a quick shove by the mom.

Like what he's just like, you shouldn't be gaming actually. Well, it was not even, he's like, really, mom, the video games again? And she's like, shut the flying fuck up, man. A. I just took a gummy. This is hitting in just right. Gears of War with the gummy. It's a great time. And you know, they thought it was going to be so genius because they're like, usually it's the little kids that want the video game and the mom.

It says Henry's line is usually the mom's line. You see. You see what we're doing here. Well, I think it comes a little later. But the thing that tells me that they had no idea what they were doing here was when he says, I prefer to be called precocious. And I'm like, well, you know they just didn't get it. Like, you're just like, we don't want that.

Nobody wants that. It fucking sucks every time. I prefer to be called services at 10 a.m. Please send flowers. I prefer to be called mask card. Thank you very much. dust in the wind this haunting breakfast

we're treated to when he comes down the stairs he's like work is no longer necessary mother and then Peter's dumping all the maple syrup on his waffles

she's like an aspiring children's book author I guess is the idea just barely but yep that's sort of because that also should be like the end of the movie

it's like and I published my book kids how about that dude Thank you. It absolutely has to end with this because we're inundated with like two or three fake books that Naomi has like, you know, the character has written here. And again, it's like that you don't have to work. So why don't you stay home and work on your, your children's books instead of taking this greasy spoon job? What I thought the book of Henry was going to be. It was like, dear mom, I'm dead now, but I know you were always too stupid to write a book. Here's one you can publish as your own. Ooh, then it becomes like that Bobcat Galthwaite movie. Yes. Yeah. But also. this is like so much

what do you call it there it's the sort of the deep misogyny of this movie is the mother's stupid as fucking dirt Sarah Silverman's a fucking fall down drunk and the little girl can't say a word about her cannot fix her own problem can't get to an adult

doesn't like I'll give you the adults let's not chastise the kids for not doing anything about the abuse they're getting at home no I'm not saying that let's dial that back a little but it's just how she's portrayed like she does not Yeah.

It's not even like, if she went to Henry and was like not even asking for help, but like it's if she had dialogue is what I'm getting. If this girl said a word, you need her to have a conversation with Henry at one point that she alludes to what is going on versus what happens in the movie, which is this dude is essentially surveilling her for who knows how long, gathering evidence against you guessed it, Dean Norris as the stepdad Glenn Sickleman. Who's also the commissioner of the police. apparently or something.

Protected on high. Brother to the fucking head of CPS, too. This guy. Nice. Were they cooking this up together? Like, all right. One day. Must have been.

I'm going to be the head of the police and you're going to be the head of the CPS. And we'll just, it's going to be good for us, brother. Yes. The sister's the mayor. All right. Because the Weinstein brothers already figured out the whole

Miramax scheme. We can't do that. Okay. We'll do this. We'll do the small town. one where I'm the head of the police and you're the head of the CPS. Next time we'll do mirror back. Henry does try to

go through proper channels but he arrives at the conclusion that this little girl's life would be better if she was abused and then she also had to walk in on her stepfather's brain salad on the floor. I just don't understand why

if this kid is such a genius right? Like why do we need this elaborate plan as opposed to like this elaborate plan to kill him right like we learn later like Henry has assessed all outcomes

much like Dr. Strange he looked at four million possibilities and this one is the only one in where this works Dean Norris has to die like why can't he figure out a way to frame him or like get video evidence of the abuse or something

just the fact that this screenplay is straight to he has to be hilariously sniped in the woods outrageous The blood must flow, mother. No, that won't do. That won't do it all. Blood for blood and buy the gallons. I told Satan I would bring him souls.

Satan's souls, dude. Yes. Well, you got to do. You got to meet that Satan's souls quota, you see. Bob, I take care of everything here. Yes. Hello, tiny coffin warehouse. Yeah, it's Henry.

What are we talking? So I'm about, you know, I'm 11. I'm about 4'3. What are we talking here? Tiny coffin wise. That's too expensive. Mom, I'm getting cremated. It's cheaper.

It's put in a shoebox or some shit. It's fine. It's in the folder undersea stupid cremation. Understand it. If you liked what you just heard and you want to get the rest of this episode, head on over to patreon.com slash we hate movies where not only can you instantly unlock the rest of this fine program, you also get yourself access to hours upon hours of exclusive shows. and commentaries you cannot get anywhere else. That's patreon.com slash we hate movies.