'Goosebumps' A Review

Goosebumps is a horror comedy inspired by the series of children's books of the same name. Former New Yorker and current high schooler Zach(Dylan Minnette) and his mother Gale(Amy Ryan) move to small town Madison, Delaware in order to start fresh and shake off the grief of their patriarch's passing the year before. While moving in Zach encounters his new neighbor the fun and adventurous Hannah(Odeya Rush) who he strikes up a precarious friendship with despite the truculence and antagonism of her father Mr. Shivers(Jack Black). After hearing an intense argument next door Zach goes to investigate and is not prepared for what he discovers.

The film strikes the perfect balance of camp and scare achieved mostly by the commitment of the actors. There are ridiculous moments but none are sold out by the performances, they give the wild monsters and crazy situations just the right amount of weight. Never melodramatic and never ludicrous. Black as the co-lead is wonderful- comfortable, funny, and engaged. He exudes a kind of mischievous confidence that makes him watchable in anything. Minnette and Rush as the love interest teen leads are good, the story and the script don't call for great, they are likable, react in compelling believable ways to the insanity around them. They are our surrogates in the film and they propel us forward.

Fun, funny, and thrilling enough to get you in the Halloween spirit.

See It.