Lost Boy

This isn't your grandma's Lifetime movie.

LOST BOY is tense, suspenseful, and asks some tough questions that it leaves intentionally unanswered: an entertaining but also unsettling experience, with a strong, nuanced performance by its young male lead.

I had doubts about it at the beginning, as the movie seemed to be going down some over-familiar tropes: a mother who's unable to let go of her lost son, a father who's all too eager to let go, the siblings of the lost boy, who have grown up a bit neglected in their brother's shadow, etc.

But when the lost son returns, that's just the first of several twists, and before long this movie goes into some deep, interesting, and seldom-asked questions about this family and its sad situation.

I found the ending, in particular, very satisfying, and not in a "Hollywood" way: it lingered with me and unsettled me for some time after the credits were done rolling.

Way to go, Lifetime, for green-lighting this challenging fare.

Well, the premise is very interesting and makes you think about many possibilities regarding the "lost boy" character.

To be honest with you, I only watched it for morbid curiosity; I mean, I expected the "lost boy" to terrorize the family in unlike ways, not in the likes of "Saw", but, situations like in "The Hand that Rocks the Craddle" (1992). However, the situations are very lame and soon you lose empathy towards the main character.

The script is very weak and never fully explains the origin of the lost boy or who really "took him" when he was an infant.

Virginia Madsen is fantastic as always and her portrayal of a mother that cannot cope with the lose of a son but keeps the hope for many years is perfect.

Watch it only if it airs at 2:00 a.m.

Okay the ending still left me with unanswered questions. Is he the real son or not. I know either way mom was gonna let him go but still viewers needed to know. Was he THEIR LOST BOY or was he just A BOY BOY who was traumatized and wanted his family to himself. I never quite understood why he hated Jonathon maybe because he was the other son but we're still here left with unanswered questions. Why they didn't get him any therapy. Is what Mitchell said about his childhood true.? It was okay but I mean I'm still left wondering .

I found the film Lost Boy to be a really engaging thriller. There were a number of good twists in the story, which isn't always the case in a TV movie. In particular,I liked that it didn't wrap up in a neat and tidy way - that was this some mystery at the end. I don't mind (in fact I often prefer) that you don't know everything at the end of the story. The writing, especially with the dialogue, is quite strong. I enjoyed the use of the old home movie footage. Lost Boy is well worth watching. The movie isn't the standard, "based on true events" Lifetime movie of the week although it wasn't far removed from real life either. I thought Matthew Fahey was excellent as Mitchell, "the lost boy." I hadn't heard of him before but I suspect I will be seeing him in more roles in the future. Virginia Madsen and Mark Valley also worked well together too as the now-separated parents and Sosie Bacon was good at the rebellious teen sister.

This odd outing by LeGrand productions is one of those borderline movies that seem to be on the verge of very serious comment with leanings towards exploitation. The story has its beginnings in truth and it's ending in supposition. It's well acted by most all, well photographed, well written with a keen sense of character and suspense. Direction is better than average, if not perfect but, very good in terms of its television origins.

The premise is strong - locking into the nature of vulnerability and the desire for something to be true regardless of the accompanying possibilities. The characters are drawn from the sad situations we see happening around us daily and the outcomes are in line with their difficult situations. There are lessons to be learned from this tense situation, especially for those contemplating sharing their home and families with others from a troubled background (not that this cant be a rewarding experience). Just be aware the road to recovery can be fraught with challenges. Recommended for those who appreciate stories emulating from today's headlines.