We’re only halfway through the year, but one film that’s certain to land on many Worst Films Of 2017 lists this year will be Colin Trevorrow‘s “The Book Of Henry.” Following the blockbuster success of “Jurassic World,” the “Safety Not Guaranteed” director returned to his indie roots with ‘Henry’ but unfortunately, the results did not impress. Critics were ruthless in their reviews of the film, which mixed sexual abuse, a precocious leading kid, and dramedy tropes in a movie that was wildly uneven, and for many, just plain bizarre. Needless to say, Trevorrow wishes the reception had been better.
The director gets candid on the Empire podcast, revealing he was genuinely surprised that “The Book Of Henry” failed to connect with critics, but maintains that moviegoers (well, the few that have seen it — the film has made a tepid $3.2 million to date) are enjoying it.
READ MORE: ‘The Book Of Henry’ Is The Ultimate Precocious Child Genius Movie [Review]
“It’s a little heartbreaking, without getting too personal,” Trevorrow said. “It came to us as a bit of a shock because we had screened this movie to so many people, and we’d had reactions from so many people that we felt we knew what we had and we knew how it was affecting the audience. And that actually hasn’t changed. It affects audiences in the same way that we thought it would.”
“We did not anticipate that level of vitriolic dislike for the film,” he added. “In the end, do I want to be somebody who pleases both audiences and critics? Absolutely. Is that hugely disappointing? It is.
However, at the end of the day, Trevorrow is taking the lumps and remains happy with the picture he’s made. “I do stand by the movie. I know it’s something I am very proud of, and everyone who made it is very proud,” he said.
“The Book Of Henry” is now playing in limited release. Listen to the full talk below. [via Variety]