Bless the Child

2000, Mystery & thriller, 1h 47m

111 Reviews 25,000+ Ratings

critics consensus

Bless the Child squanders its talented cast on a plot that's more likely to inspire unintentional laughs than shivers. Read critic reviews

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Bless the Child Videos

Bless the Child: Trailer 1

Bless the Child: Official Clip - She's Special

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Do You Know Any Tricks, Martin?

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Subway Chase

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Rat Problem

Bless the Child: Official Clip - A Rude Awakening

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Divine Intervention

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Do You Believe in The Devil?

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Thou Shalt Not Kill, Especially Without Bullets

Bless the Child: Official Clip - Divine Communication

View All Videos (10)

Bless the Child Photos

Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor and Ian Holm as Reverend Grissom in "Bless the Child."

Jimmy Smits as Agent John Travis in "Bless the Child."

Jimmy Smits as Agent John Travis in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor and Rufus Sewell as Eric Stark in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Jimmy Smits as Agent John Travis, Angela Bettis as Jenna O'Connor and Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor and Jimmy Smits as Agent John Travis in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Christina Ricci as Cheri Post and Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

On the set of "Bless the Child."

Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor and Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor and Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

A scene from the film "Bless the Child."

Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

(L-R) Kim Basinger as Maggie O'Connor and Holliston Coleman as Cody O'Connor in "Bless the Child."

Rufus Sewell as Eric Stark in "Bless the Child."

Christina Ricci as Cheri Post in "Bless the Child."

On the set of "Bless the Child."

View All Photos (30)

Movie Info

When Maggie's sister Jenna saddles her with an autistic newborn named Cody she touches Maggie's heart and becomes the daughter she has always longed for. But six years later Jenna suddenly re-enters her life and, with her mysterious new husband, Eric Stark, abducts Cody. Despite the fact that Maggie has no legal rights to Cody, FBI agent John Travis, takes up her cause when he realizes that Cody shares the same birth date as several other recently missing children.

Rating:

R (Drug Content|Brief Language|Violence)
Genre:

Mystery & thriller
Original Language:

English
Director:

Chuck Russell
Producer:

Mace Neufeld
Writer:

Clifford Green, Thomas Rickman, Ellen Green
Release Date (Theaters):

Aug 11, 2000 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA):

$29.4M
Runtime:

1h 47m
Distributor:

Icon Entertainment International, Paramount Pictures
Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio:

Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Kim Basinger
Maggie O'Connor

Jimmy Smits
Agent John Travis

Holliston Coleman
Cody

Rufus Sewell
Eric Stark

Angela Bettis
Jenna

Christina Ricci
Cheri

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Bless the Child

All Critics (111) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (108)

Full Review… Dave McCoy Seattle Times

Full Review… Alexander Walker London Evening Standard

Full Review… Marc Savlov Austin Chronicle

Full Review… Ann Hornaday Baltimore Sun

Full Review… Mark Holcomb Village Voice

Full Review… Jami Bernard New York Daily News

Full Review… Louis B. Hobson Jam! Movies

Full Review… Dennis King Tulsa World

Full Review… Jo Berry Radio Times

Full Review… Total Film

Full Review… Glen Oliver IGN Movies

Full Review… Steve Newton Georgia Straight

View All Critic Reviews (111)

Audience Reviews for Bless the Child

Jul 20, 2012

The story was really cheesy and yet frightening. It may not be scary for everyone but was certaining frightening for religious folks. People do not like this film because they are not christians I presume. The religious symbols and the thriller type of elements were really scary, the use of shots were beautiful, acting by everyone in the film was fantastic, there's nothing to complain about the film.

Sylvester K Super Reviewer
Jul 26, 2011

boring and just plain silly film.

Brendan N Super Reviewer
Jun 11, 2011

Pretty good supernatural thriller. When Kim Basingers junkie sister leaves her with her newborn baby, nice nurse lady Kim takes her in and eventually feels like her own daughter. Little does she know that the little girl has powers within her that can be used for good or the ultimate evil. Shit begins to happen when the sister appears with a new husband who's also the leader of a cult and takes the little girl, trying to make her see her dark and evil powers are the way forward. With its decent cast including Angela Betis, Rufus Sewell, Christina Ricci and Jimmy Smits alongside Basinger, Bless The Child has a more classy feel and is more of a thriller with horror elements instead of the straight ahead horror, almost Exorcist style film it was billed as by certain parties when it first came out. This actually makes the horror elements more effective sometimes. Worth a watch.

Adam M Super Reviewer
Dec 09, 2009

Strong permofance by Kim Berenger. Great Movie with great casting. I like Rufus Sewell, he can play anything and I never feel like he is acting.

Wahida K Super Reviewer

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