Apt Pupil
APT PUPILÂ (15)
D: Bryan Singer
Columbia Tristar/Phoenix/Bad Hat Harry/Canal+ (Jane
Hamsher, Don Murphy & Brian Singer)
USA/France 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 1998
111 mins
ThrillerÂ
W: Brandon Boyce [based on the novella by Stephen
King]
DP: Newton Thomas Sigel
Ed: John Ottman
Mus: John Ottman
PD: Richard Hoover
Ian McKellen (Kurt Dussander), Brad Renfro
(Todd Bowden), Bruce Davison (Richard Bowden), Elias Koteas (Archie), Joe Morton (Dan Richler), Jan Triska (Isaac Weiskopf), Michael Byrne (Ben Kramer), Heather McComb (Becky Trask), David
Schwimmer (Edward French)
Based on a short story from the same book by Stephen King
which also brought Stand By Me & The Shawshank Redemption to the screen, this is a rather weak adaptation of a rather interesting story.
It focuses on a schoolboy who blackmails an elderly Nazi
to tell him all about the holocaust or face being outed.
Ian McKellen's excellent performance makes this worth
watching, but Brad Renfro is a terrible actor and other parts are incredibly miscast, especially Ross from Friends who takes away any power that the finale of the movie may have had with
someone more convincing in the part.
Bryan Singer's second film after his excellent debut with
1995's The Usual Suspects, this is just a little blot on his  career (another big blot would follow later, but I'm not getting into that one).
5/10
Did You Know:
Brad Renfro was only 14 years old at the time of
filming.
Award Wins & Nominations:
MILSTEAD MOVIE AWARDS:
Wins: none
Nominations: none
OSCARS:
Wins: none
Nominations: none
BAFTAS
Wins: none
Nominations: none
OTHER WINS:
Saturn Awards (Best Horror Film, Best Supporting Actor); Critics Choice Awards (Best Actor); Florida Film Critics (Best Actor); OFTA (Best Actor - Sci-Fi/Horror/Fantasy); Tokyo International Film Festival (Best Actor)