I can see what you did there

Rating: 5/10 (4 September 2016)

I totally can see the director was trying to achieve. It seems to me this is a story about mental break down after a tragic loss, and eventual recovery (of sorts). But .... and it's a big BUT. From the beginning the characters are totally unlikable. The mother seems rather trashy and neurotic from film minute 1, the son is horribly obnoxious and generally a pain in the behind - also from film minute 1. The home is chaotic, adding to the general impression of a mental breakdown in process. There's also a dog there, even he isn't very likable, as far as dog likability goes. And of course it is killed (the only reason for it's inclusion?). They simply are unlikable - to me I couldn't care less if Babadook ate the whole street.
Also one moment, possibly not important in the general flow of things, is the visit of the mother colleague from work. Upon hearing the brat isn't sick, he just vanishes from the story - but it adds to the general doom, gloom and surreal feeling of the movie.
Then finally getting over the characters and their dog aren't likable - the movie ends. Good riddance. I've seen worse, I've definitely seen much better.