A child’s angelic face conceals a budding sociopath in the audacious feature debut from actor Brady Corbet. A powerhouse international cast led by Robert Pattinson and Bérénice Bejo headlines this dark domestic nightmare. Set amidst the turmoil of World War I and its aftermath, it follows the young son of an American diplomat living in France as he learns to manipulate the adults around him – a monstrous coming of age that ominously parallels the rising tide of Fascism in Europe. A stylistically fearless tour-de-force, The Childhood of a Leader reaches fever-pitch delirium thanks to ravishing cinematography and a thunderous score by legendary, boundary-pushing musician Scott Walker.
Wondering if The Childhood of a Leader‘s any good? Hear our take on it in our August film podcast. Review starts 6 minutes and 25 seconds in…