Bless the Child

Critics Consensus

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

3%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 111

43%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 35,254

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Movie Info

In this supernatural horror story, Jenna (Angela Bettis), an unstable young woman, gives birth to a girl named Cody who proves to be autistic; unable to care for her properly, she turns Cody over to her sister, psychiatric nurse Maggie O'Connell (Kim Basinger). Maggie raises Cody as her own, but when the child (now played by Holliston Coleman) turns six, Jenna and her new husband Eric (Rufus Sewell) forcibly take back the child. Maggie believes Jenna and Eric are not fit parents, but when she takes the matter up with detective John Travis (Jimmy Smits), they discover that a number of children born on the same day as Cody have also been abducted recently. Even worse, it seems that Cody may now be in the hands of Satanists who, in accordance with Biblical prophecy, believe the little girl may be mankind's last line of defense against ultimate evil. Based on a novel by Cathy Cash Spellman, Bless the Child also stars Christina Ricci and Ian Holm.
  • Rating:
    R (for violence, drug content and brief language)
  • Genre:
    Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
  • Directed By:
    Chuck Russell
  • Written By:
    Tom Rickman, Ellen Green, Clifford Green
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $28,134,407
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    Paramount Pictures

Cast

Kim Basinger
as Maggie O'Connor
Jimmy Smits
as John Travis
Holliston Coleman
as Cody
Rufus Sewell
as Eric Stark
Angela Bettis
as Jenna
Christina Ricci
as Cheri
Ian Holm
as Rev. Grissom
Michael Gaston
as Bugatti
Lumi Cavazos
as Sister Rosa
Dimitra Arliss
as Dahnya
Eugene Lipinski
as Stuart
Anne Betancourt
as Maria
Helen Stenborg
as Sister Joseph
Matthew Lemche
as New Dawn Kid at Van
Dan Warry-Smith
as New Dawn Kid
Elisabeth Rosen
as New Dawn Kid
Tony Del Rio
as New Dawn Kid
Nicole Lyn
as New Dawn Kid
Michael McLachlan
as New Dawn Kid
Jonathan Malen
as New Dawn Kid
Vince Corazza
as Reverend's Assistant
David Eisner
as Dr. Ben
Gary Hudson
as Maggie's Date
Samantha O'Dwyer
as Cody (at age 3)
Nicolas Marti Salgado
as Martin Casillas
Marcia Bennett
as Head Nurse
Peter Mensah
as Good Samaritan Janitor
Yan Birch
as Good Samaritan on Bridge
Alexa Gilmour
as Good Samaritan on Subway
Wanda Lee Evans
as Woman on Bus
Cedric Smith
as Pediatric Doctor
Dwayne McLean
as Homeless Man
Brenda Divine
as Woman with Sick Daughter
Lauren Spring
as Daughter
Trevor Bain
as Task Force Investigator
Brian Heighton
as Techie
Chris Marren
as Diner State Trooper
Todd Schroeder
as Diner State Trooper
John Healy
as Diner Local Policeman
Dylan Harman
as Boy in Playground
David Sparrow
as Crawford
Michael Copeman
as Police Lieutenant
Neil Girvan
as Detective
Carol Lempert
as Detective
Kelvin Wheeler
as Detective
Tony Meyler
as Detective
Richard Carmichael
as Task Force Detective
Roman Podhora
as Desk Sergeant
Dean Gabourie
as Alley Officer
Arnold Pinnock
as Alley Officer
Teresa Pavlinek
as Dentist's Receptionist
Jeffrey Caudle
as Boy in Dentist's Chair
Catherine Fitch
as Sister Helena
Neville Edwards
as Pier Cop
John Shepherd
as Mr. Czernik
Norma Edwards
as Mrs. Czernik
Leeza Gibbons
as Herself
Dan Duran
as Reporter
Sandi Stahlbrand
as Reporter
Mia Lee
as Newscaster
Matt Birman
as Upstate Cop
Meredith McGeachie
as Nurse
Henry Alessandroni
as Hospital Cop
Austin Reed
as Baby Cody
Corrina Reed
as Baby Cody
Brianna Reed
as Baby Cody
Christopher Redman C New Dawn Intern
as New Dawn Intern
Jovanni Sy
as Code Blue Doctor
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News & Interviews for Bless the Child

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Critic Reviews for Bless the Child

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

  • A biblical "thriller" so predictable and preposterous that everyone involved should be banished to the confessional for their sins.

    July 22, 2014 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…

    Dave McCoy

    Seattle Times
    Top Critic

  • I don't know if I'm getting more squeamish, or simply less charitable at being exploitatively manipulated and taken for a moron: possibly both. But I think others will share my disgust at several scenes in Bless The Child.

    July 22, 2014 | Full Review…

    Alexander Walker

    London Evening Standard
    Top Critic

  • If you're so inclined, pray that the responsible parties crawl back into whatever hole they emerged from.

    June 3, 2013 | Full Review…

    Mark Holcomb

    Village Voice
    Top Critic

  • Should have sold its soul for a little help in the script department.

    June 3, 2013 | Full Review…

    Jami Bernard

    New York Daily News
    Top Critic

  • A supernatural thriller that does for its genre what Battlefield Earth did for science fiction.

    June 3, 2013 | Full Review…

    Nathan Rabin

    AV Club
    Top Critic

  • Director Chuck Russell also made the infinitely better comedy The Mask. After this, he may want to wear a mask.

    September 7, 2011 | Rating: F | Full Review…

    Lisa Schwarzbaum

    Entertainment Weekly
    Top Critic
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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