The Tutor is burdened with a generic name and premise. Ethan (Garrett Hedlund, The United States vs. Billie Holiday) tutors the children of the very rich. His latest job is a mysterious offer that pays very well. His new student Jackson (Noah Schnapp, Stranger Things) develops an unhealthy obsession that threatens to destroy Ethan’s life.
Despite the film’s title, it is not a horror movie and lacks any eroticism. Instead, it is a straightforward thriller. The setup should be filled with tension by default, but there is a surprising absence of it. The first act presents plenty of questions. What is going on with the mystery family that has hired Ethan? The bunch certainly act creepy and there are some clues as to what is going to happen. They obviously are planning to take advantage of the tutor’s inability to resist temptation, for starters.. The question becomes why.
When Jackson and his cousin begin their war against Ethan, things start to go off the rails. There are the usual incriminating pictures and lies that lead to Ethan losing his job. Even worse, his pregnant girlfriend (Victoria Justice) no longer trusts him and kicks him out of the house. This leads to a confusing montage in which Ethan seems to immediately become destitute, complete with having to clean up in a convenience store bathroom.
At this point, The Tutor also begins introducing a number of elements that weigh down the story. A murder mystery only makes things murkier (how long did Ethan know who Jackson really was?) and any characters not directly involved with the main story add nothing. This includes the police, who are unusually blasé about everything, considering the circumstances.
This leads to a bewildering twist ending in which the entire story is turned on its head. Everything that had previously happened in The Tutor becomes inconsequential when the truth is finally revealed. There is no one left for the audience to cheer for as everyone comes off looking like a villain of the highest order.
The Tutor comes to theaters March 24
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