‘The Book Of Henry’ Director Colin Trevorrow Reacts To ‘Heartbreaking’ Reviews Of Naomi Watts Film

“The Book of Henry” director Colin Trevorrow has finally responded to the negative criticisms his film has received.

During an interview on The Empire Film Podcast, Trevorrow called the harsh reviews “heartbreaking.” The director is also surprised with the negative comments because they screened the film to so many people and received positive reactions.

Read: Maddie Ziegler’s movie “The Book of Henry” crucified by critics

“We’d had reactions from so many people that we felt we knew 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. And in the end, do I want somebody who can please both audience and critics? Absolutely. So is that hugely disappointing? It is. I do stand by the movie,” he said.

Trevorrow also refused to agree with the theories suggesting that “The Book of Henry” was somewhat inspired by his two other huge projects: “Star Wars” and “Jurassic World.” But the director admitted that he wasn’t prepared for the attention those two movies would bring to the Jacob Tremblay-starrer.

“I went to do a film that is narratively experimental, that allows me to face my fears as a filmmaker, and is extremely ambitious and complex in what it attempts to do, and also a film that very clearly works potently for many, and then does not work potently for many others. That’s just the reality of it. Like you talk about a love-or-hate movie. I feel like it did get a little bit disproportionate as far as the balance of love and hate; that’s what surprised me. But there was no one in the middle,” he concluded.

“The Book of Henry” followed the life of a single mom named Susan Carpenter (Naomi Watts). Taking care of everyone in the family is her eldest son, Henry (Jaeden Lieberher). The two soon discover that a young girl named Christina (Maddie Ziegler), who happens to be their neighbor, is being abused by her own father. Concerned for Christina’s welfare, Henry devices a plan to save her with the help of Susan and his younger brother, Peter (Tremblay).