The Bad Seed (2018 film)

Did You Know?

• The sequel The Bad Seed Returns was originally set to premiere on May 30, 2022, but was delayed to September 5, 2022 due to production delays.
• A conventional remake by Barbara Marshal had been in development hell between Lifetime and executive producer Mark Wolper before the 2018 version was greenlit.

Plot

Nine-year-old Emma Grossman tells her widower father David that she hopes to win a Citizenship medal. She shows no emotion when a cat drowns in the backyard. When classmate Milo Curtis wins the medal, Emma expresses contempt for him; David scolds her, and she apologizes. Emma later lures Milo to a cliff, steals his medal, pushes him off, and returns to the party. Milo's body is found. David asks Emma about the event, but she acts cheerful. David's sister Angela, a psychiatrist, suggests Emma is in shock. At Milo's funeral, David notices photos of Emma scowling at Milo. Emma's teacher Mrs. Ellis and an investigator visit; Emma eavesdrops. Mrs. Ellis says Milo was last seen with Emma. Chloe taunts Emma, who cuts her arm with glass to disrupt the conversation. Mrs. Ellis later crashes her car due to a wasp nest Emma placed in it. Chloe finds Milo's medal under Emma's bed and hangs it in David's room. David questions Emma, who admits being on the cliff but claims they played a game. David consults child psychiatrist Dr. March, who says Emma is normal. Chloe taunts Emma about becoming her stepmother. Emma lures Chloe into a work-shed, locks it, and sets it on fire, killing her. David confronts Emma, who admits to murdering Milo, Mrs. Ellis, Chloe, and her previous babysitter.

Cast

Rob Lowe plays David Grossman, Emma's father. Mckenna Grace portrays Emma Grossman. Sarah Dugdale is Chloe, the new nanny. Marci T. House plays Mrs. Ellis, Emma's teacher. Lorne Cardinal appears as Brian, the caretaker. Chris Shields is Sheriff Peterson. Cara Buono plays Angela Grossman, David's sister and a psychiatrist. Patty McCormack, who received an Oscar nomination for playing the daughter in the 1956 film, appears as Dr. March. Luke Roessler plays Milo Curtis. Shauna Johannesen and Robert Egger play Milo's parents. John Emmet Tracy appears as Mark Wiggins.

Reception

The Bad Seed received mixed reviews. David Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter called it a film that achieves only a baseline amount of trashy fun. Andrea Reiher of Collider said the film suffers from being neither dark enough nor campy enough, stuck in a middle area devoid of over-the-top absurdity or real darkness. Upon its initial broadcast on September 9, 2018, it was watched by 1.87 million viewers, placing it in the top ten most-watched cable programs on that date.