A Dangerous Son (2018 TV Movie) User Reviews

Forget The 1 Star Reviews, This Is Important

[neener3707 · 7/10 · 9 May 2018]

Forget these other reviews that yell about child abuse and sensationalism, this was a very disturbing look at the most innocent victims of America's failed mental health system, children. In the 1920's, America had 30,000 mental hospitals, now we have 13. I'm serious. This film shows the aspects of children under our broken system. A system where children are either forgotten, or are put on medication that either doesn't work, or makes things worse. It shows the sadness of parents who are simply told by psychologists that they don't know how to help. As a person who grew up in the 90's, during a time when kids were force-fed ADHD medications, so in my reputable opinion, this film accurately portrays the calamity of parents and kids in this sad situation.

While the film portrays things well, I feel like it didn't push hard enough. There are some serious question about the roles of parents and psychiatrists in the mental deterioration of our defenseless child. While it appears most psychologists put their hands up in the air and say "I don't know" while at the same time deliberately prescribing medications that will either make things worse, or do nothing at all. At the same time, proper guidance is not given to parents on how to deal with it correctly. So while its portrayed, it doesn't go far enough to ask why and ask what can be done, at least not as much as most HBO documentaries. So while this is a tough watch, but an important one.

Interesting but sad and hard to watch at times

[kamfg · 6/10 · 8 December 2021]

An overall interesting piece to watch. I just can't wrap my head around how it benefits a child with a mental illness to be surrounded by cameramen and crew.

And it gave little to no attention to the young black teenage boy and his family. And it left out why the woman was convinced her child was the next school shooter and instead just launched her into an authority on the issue?

I wish it had gone into more of the psychology behind these issues and the long term prognosis and eventual outcome for each of these boys.

Consequences

[holchie · 6/10 · 5 March 2022]

It's terrible the situation these kids are in. A few things I noticed I that the mothers of the violent boy who beat up on his sister and the black boy didn't seem to deal out any consequences to their children when their violent or anti-social behavior occurred. The boy with anger problems literally pounded hard on his little sister while in the car. When they did get home, the mother lovingly escorts her violent son into the home while her beaten up daughter, who I think was 8, gets out of the car and goes in trailing behind mother and son; no hugs, no are you all right honey. Also, pretty much all the parents blame "the system," for not curing their child, or mismanaging their care or not wanting to pay for certain levels of treatment. It is THEIR CHILD to care for. No one is going to care about your child as much as a parent. And the whole world is not going to be responsible for your child. For the most part this documentary showed me how messed up some parents are.

Excellent and Much Needed

[khw-39397 · 10/10 · 14 April 2019]

This is an excellent documentary by Oscar nominated director Liz Garbus. The people who gave it bad reviews found it uncomfortable to watch, and it is. It should be. Viewers should be very uncomfortable with the fact that the three women it follows had such a hard time getting any help for their sons. For the lower income mom, treatment was a luxury she could not afford. Garbus was inspired by the viral blog "I am Adam Lanza's Mother," written by one of the women in the documentary shortly after the Sandy Hook shooting, and the documentary does a great job of connecting the problem of lack of treatment available to mothers of boys with severe psychiatric issues with the problem of school shootings. (All of which have been committed by teenaged boys with psychiatric problems.) This documentary should be watched and shared and, mostly importantly, sent to our representatives, with a strong urging that they delegate funding to this issue.

A Dangerous Son

[dbondick-219-916634 · 10/10 · 9 May 2018]

Amazing and shocking! A must see film, it will change your outlook on how one views the disabled and challenge.

Surface-Level Effective

[nitro72 · 5/10 · 3 January 2019]

Surface-level effective doc evokes the same feelings of helplessness in its viewers as it conveys in its subjects; bleak outlook results in frustration & selfish hope that this won't happen to you or someone you love.

True life for those with mental illness

[jennaviveleech · 10/10 · 29 September 2018]

It's a small window into the true life of mental illness and the struggles of those who love them. The people who judge, point fingers, and place blame have never walked a mile in the shoes of severe neurological conditions. This documentary gives a voice to those who suffer. It's up to us to listen.

This is a documentary.

[anitabphoto · 10/10 · 14 May 2019]

Theres too many people reviewing what happened in the film instead of the film itself. The film is okay. Its the subject matter that is upsetting. Some of the reviewers' failure to understand this says a lot about their state of mind. I left a 10 to try and counterbalance the soap box commentaries of other reviewers. I'd give it more like a 7.

Sibling abuse

[staciarose20 · 5/10 · 17 January 2022]

Sometimes you have a demon seed. Very different than just mental illness, or a kid that's depressed. She's sitting there while her son is trying to beat the **** out of her daughter. The daughter is literally screaming for help. Get him out of the house before he kills her AND you. Stop acting helpless. You're the parent and adult! If someone needs to be in an institution, don't act like it will get better. Don't pretend nothing is happening, or think you can "bond" and they will improve (like Adam Lanza's mom did). If he's this bad at ten, one day he will be a dangerous man.

A mum who 'gets this doc' xx

[samanthabow · 10/10 · 7 March 2022]

I have so many discussions to have with the amount of negative views to this documentary, I am 41, married with 4 boys..8 to 14 yrs and 3/4 boys have ADHD, ASD, Lacking Melatonin Hormone, Severe Behaviour Issues. I have completely understood all of the mums and dad in the documentary and my heart goes out to them xx. I believe that yes the system has let us down, we are in UK and our 9 yr old boy has been waiting for a referral for 3 yrs + now to then be assessed for 2 yrs and then given a diagnosis. In the mean time we just have to it take day by day. Me as mum will look around feeling envious of those who are raising non-challenging children but as I will always say there's never a dull day in our household!

I think the negative reaction to this is due to the ineptness of the parenting

[generic230-1 · 5/10 · 28 September 2020]

The film doesn't seem, in any way, educational. It's a documentary that follows the mothers of troubled boys. Never mentions or shows fathers. One woman, about thirty minutes in says she may have to send her son to an institution. He's 12 and she's never gotten any psychiatric treatment for him, she's not educated herself in any way about how to deal with her son's outbursts and she decides institutionalization is best. How do you spend 12 years thinking you know how to parent a child with a mental illness and never get therapy or training to deal with it?

I think the complete lack of medical/therapeutic help in these women's lives is what makes this so frustrating for viewers. The film seeks to absolve Nancy Lanza for failing to get any treatment for her son, Adam, yet these women are going down the same path. I'm not sure how we're supposed to go, "Yeah, Not getting help for your schizophrenic child Is perfectly reasonable." So, for me this was just an exercise in frustration.

Too sensationalistic

[bdexter-12016 · 1/10 · 9 May 2018]

No one would suggest that these are simple issues, but there were too many things that were shown, as if they were ok, that should not have been left without comment. Allowing an out of control child to watch violent video games??? And it is not true that all of the mass shooters have psychiatric disorders that if treated would have prevented the shootings. Some small number of children are going to have to be in full time care. Also, after the government started pouring millions of dollars into "autism spectrum disorders" more people are specific diagnosis seeking. What about the children who are depressed, anxious, being bullied or living in homes where they have been repeatedly subjected to screaming and violence by adults? Who is paying attention to them? Look up the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Inventory on the Internet and you may see a much greater population in need. ACE research is hard science and offers solutions with concrete results!

Wtf

[josjoling · 1/10 · 7 December 2018]

The parants and professionals in this documentary should come to Northern Europe and take a look how we do things.

Child Abuse

[Baseballman16 · 2/10 · 8 May 2018]

This documentary was hard to get through. It was nothing but child abuse. It's a mothers attempt to "control" her son by forced drugging and "treatment." It was upsetting to watch how these parents and especially the mothers failed to try to relate to their sons. Instead, they lecture them on how to be with rules and checklists. And they think they will get to their child that way?! Calling emotional reactivity at a young age "mental illness" is ridiculous. I just can't imagine how damaging this is to the young boys. And the fact that society couldn't care less doesn't help. The implied messages they get from the media and I am sure their schooling is that boys are bad and dumb and don't deserve to be heard. It has been shown that boys do have a harder time expressing their emotions, especially at a young age, so it makes it that much more important for them to be truly listened to rather than controlled. It leads to disastrous consequences like we see because boys do tend to act out in more overt, violent ways.

Just a Question

[dennismcevoy · 19 March 2020]

Anybody notice if there were any fathers in these kids' lives?

Disturbing

[couzinit-74329 · 4/10 · 12 March 2024]

I was really upset about the decisions Ethan's mom was making. When he was punching the heck out of his little sister STOP THE CAR,! Deal with it, this poor girl was screaming for help. This is the same mom that had a firearm in her home, plus she thought it was a good time to get pregnant?? You can't stop him from hitting you or his sister yet you think bringing a completely helpless newborn into the mix was a good idea, totally irresponsible.

I agree completely with some of the other posters that said there didn't seem to be consequences of any kind in two of those homes, just at a fundamental level consequences are necessary.

Let the sister live with the aunt

[hughjman · 5/10 · 10 August 2023]

This isn't an easy watch, but it was worth watching. Heartbreaking, and at times, even more heartbreaking.

The thought I had repeatedly about the persistently terrorized and beaten sister Elexa was that she should be allowed to live with her aunt, away from her mother and abusive brother. That little girl deserved to live in a calm household where she's not fearful all the time.

This isn't an easy watch, but it was worth watching.

The thought I had repeatedly about the persistently terrorized and beaten sister Elexa was that she should be allowed to live with her aunt, away from her mother and abusive brother. That little girl deserved to live in a calm household where she's not fearful all the time.