A New Take on the Boogeyman

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2015)

Everyone has their own breaking point, in which unaddressed stress and feelings can overwhelm and wreak havoc in an individual's daily life. The monster from The Babadook represents one's inner demons. The film's premise is that the demons cannot always be conquered because sometimes one has to acknowledge and learn how to live with them, in order to heal and continue living.
For seven years Amelia pushed away the grief, anger, and guilt for her dead husband, in order to be a good mother. However, her depression had always been active and this was represented from her unkempt appearance, unwillingness to start a relationship, the dusky blue color of her home and even of her bedsheets that envelope her at night. Although she tries to be an affectionate mother, Sam is a reminder of her husband's death because an accident happened on their way to the hospital, where Sam is supposed to get delivered. Sam resents his mother's grief and that his birthday was never celebrated on the exact day; therefore, he tries to reclaim her attention by engaging in verbal and physical aggression with obsessive-compulsive behavioral patterns.
In the second half, Sam has a better hold in reality after his visit to the doctor because his behaviors became rational and appropriate. At the same time, Amelia spirals down as her dark personal feelings began to manifest as the children's book boogeyman, Babadook, who told her that "the more you ignore me, the stronger I get." Sam helped his mother to face her demons by promising to protect her and helping her regain control by acknowledging the Babadook, as well as in dealing with daily frustrations, which was represented with the bowl of worms. Amelia's recovery was represented by her willingness to celebrate Sam's exact birthday, her black shoes, growing dark roses, and keeping her bowl of worms and the Babadook in her basement.