Based on the novella by Stephen King, Directed by Brian Singer Apt Pupil is a disturbing Psychological Thriller about the relationship that forms between a teenage boy (Brad Renfro) and a neighbor (Ian McKellen) he discovers is a Nazi war criminal in hiding. This is one of the few books from Stephen King made into a movie that doesn’t have a lot to do with supernatural, but it’s still very riveting.
Apt Pupil addresses holocaust-related matters. Todd Bowen (Renfro) confronts Kurt Dussander (Ian McKellen) when he does a project for school and becomes fascinated with wartime atrocities. He blackmails the ex-Nazi, promising to keep his secret in exchange for Holocaust horror stories.
In his mission for information, Todd ignores his schoolwork and lets his mid-term grades slip, thus risking exposure of his after-school activities. At this point, Dussander turns the tables by pretending to be Todd’s grandfather and making a deal with his guidance counselor: Todd must get straight A’s in the finals in exchange for his poor mid-term grades being wiped off of his record. Dussander then uses the clever skills he acquired running a Nazi concentration camp and drives Todd to passing with straight A’s, something most would think impossible in just 3 weeks.
The changeover from blackmailer to apt pupil is done brilliantly, very much in the Stephen King style. In the last scene, where Todd is faced to deal with his guidance counselor, he displays why he deserves the title in more ways than one; for not only has Todd learnt the art of torture and discipline, but also how to manipulate people around him to suit his own agenda.
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