Now Showing: The Child Martyr

The Child Martyr
Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Writer: Mo Buck
Inspired by the play Aurore : L'enfant martyr by Henri Rollin and Léon Petitjean
Cast: Brie Larson, Sam Rockwell, Mackenzie Foy, Anthony Hopkins, Jacob Tremblay, Diane Kruger, Noah Schnapp, Elsie Fisher

Plot: In 1920's Quebec, Tom Gagnon (Sam Rockwell) has the honor of being one of the richest man in his village, owning more than $10,000 to his name. His wife, Annie (Diane Kruger) is said to be one of the most beautiful woman who ever step foot in the Province. Together, they have four children, Jane, Aurore (Mackenzie Foy), George (Jacob Tremblay) and Joseph. Aurore and her siblings live a happy life with their loving mother and enjoy the best childhood a family could offer in those terrible times in Quebec. However, even with all the money they have, the family isn't immune to diseases. Tuberculosis strikes hard in the Gagnon household, bringing Annie, Jeanne and Joseph to their grave.

Unable to take care of his two remaining children alone, Tom Gagnon marries Marie Paquin (Brie Larson) his cousin's widow. Marie Paquin, now Marie Gagnon, brings her two children with her :Gabriel (Noah Schnapp) and Maria (Elsie Fisher). It is quite clear Marie favors her children first and poor little Aurore and George are left aside, often not eating enough food. They try to talk to their father about it, but he says Marie is doing the best job she can, completely unaware of the treatment she gives to them. He blames their frustration on the fact that they miss their mother.

On a particularly hot summer day, Marie lets the kids go play outside and remains at home, cooking. Aurore and George go play in the woods, not really playing, but trying to find food to eat. Gabriel and Maria, decide to go play with the horses. They're not really gentle with the cows and the beef. However, they're not gentle with the beef and he eventually kills both Maria and Gabriel after it had enough. Coming back from the woods empty ended, Aurore and George look for Maria and Gabriel, only to find them dead.

Still mourning her children, Marie goes to see the Father Phillip (Anthony Hopkins) at the church. She confesses that she doesn't like Tom's children and she blames them for the death of her own children and claims that she doesn't know what to do with the remaining kids, Aurore and George. Father Phillip suggests that she should be tough with them to punish them for their sinful acts.

It is at that precise moment that Aurore and George's life become a living hell. She forbids them to drink water, forcing them to drink hard water, she tears off their fingernails, hit them repeatedly, causing them to bleed and have many ecchymosis. Each and every time Tom Gagnon starts to suspect something, Marie always find a way to put the blame on the kids themselves. Tom doesn't know what to do and go see Father Phillip, saying to him that his children aren't able to get over the death of their mother. He suggests to Tom to make his children learn the hard way and he should be severe with them and they will soon start to behave normally. This is what he says to his wife and that's exactly what she does.

The living hell the kids are living in only gets worst from that point. She frequently burns them, peel off their skin and hit them with a fork. George eventually dies and Marie throws him down the well. She successfully hid her torture. After she's left alone with Aurore, Marie tears off Aurore's flesh on her forearm, to the point that we can see her bones. Aurore eventually dies from the injuries she sustained from Marie. Father Phillip autopsies her body and discovers 54 different injuries all over Aurore's body. He secretly contacts the authorities.

At Aurore's funeral, celebrated by Father Phillip, Marie and Tom Gagnon are arrested for the murder of Aurore Gagnon. Marie has the time to tell Father Phillip that he's the one who recommended to her to be tough and aggressive towards Tom's children. After the funeral, Father Phillip commits suicide with dynamite. Marie Gagnon is sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Aurore, while Tom Gagnon is declared guilty of involuntary homicide.

Marie Gagnon was never hanged for the murder of Aurore and spent only 15 years in jail. Tom Gagnon was also sentenced to life in prison, but only spent 5 years in jail before being released. The movie ends with a picture from Aurore Gagnon's real grave, in Fortierville, Quebec, Canada.