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So B. It (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

So B. It (2017) movie poster

So B. It is a 2017 drama directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, starring Dash Mihok as Roy Franklin, Jacinda Barrett and Van Epperson. It runs 1 hour 38 minutes and earned $47,627 worldwide. Critics gave it 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10.

IMDb rating
6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes
50%
worldwide gross
$47.6K
Echo Score
59
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So B. It (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 38m (98 min)
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is So B. It About?

The premise of So B. It without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A young girl named Heidi finds comfort in her quiet life with her mother and their kind neighbor. When her mother introduces a mysterious phrase, "so B. it," Heidi begins a journey of self-discovery across the United States. Along the way, she confronts unexpected truths and learns about her mother's past, ultimately forging her own path and understanding her place in the world.

So B. It Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • mother daughter relationship
  • 12 year old
  • girl
  • neighbor
  • secret
  • lie
  • f rated
  • liberty new york
  • heads or tails coin toss
  • policeman
  • police station
  • voice over narration
+38 more
  • narrated by character
  • reflection in car window
  • runaway
  • girl wears sunglasses
  • girl dresses as a woman
  • bus station
  • bus
  • mirror
  • looking at oneself in a mirror
  • quarter the coin
  • bag of coins
  • casino
  • backpack
  • old woman
  • cat
  • flashback
  • told in flashback
  • baby
  • crying baby
  • flash forward
  • reno nevada
  • reference to william shakespeare
  • african american
  • black american
  • ironing
  • home schooling
  • reading aloud
  • painting
  • birthday
  • family relationships
  • vacuum cleaner
  • penny
  • telephone
  • telephone call
  • dress fitting
  • agoraphobia
  • laundromat
  • slot machine
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Cast & crew

So B. It Cast & Characters

Dash Mihok leads the cast as Roy Franklin, with Jacinda Barrett as Ruby Franklin and Van Epperson as Deputy. Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal; 11 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in So B. It

· 7 more
From the director

More from Stephen Gyllenhaal

More films directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, best-rated first: Uncharitable, Grassroots, Certain Fury and An Amish Murder.

Full filmography
Ratings

So B. It Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave So B. It 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and 46 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.9/10. Our Echo Score gives it 59/100, strongest in art & craft (70) and weakest in rewatch factor (50).

59 /100

So B. It Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, So B. It presents a mixture of heartfelt performances and uneven storytelling. While the film benefits from committed acting and a subtle visual palette, its pacing and tonal shifts undercut emotional momentum. The narrative oscillates between earnest drama and occasional artificiality, resulting in a viewing experience that feels sincere yet unevenly executed. Ultimately, the film offers moments of genuine warmth but struggles to sustain a cohesive impact.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 70

    In terms of cinematography and production design, So B. It aims for a restrained visual approach. The delicately rendered color palette and straightforward framing support the intimate tone, but few sequences stand out as visually memorable. Editing transitions facilitate clarity but rarely display distinct flair. The film’s craft is competent yet seldom striking.

  • Character & Emotion 60

    When it comes to character depth, the cast delivers earnest yet uneven performances. Talitha Bateman anchors the film with a sincere portrayal, and supporting actors convey warmth in key moments. However, some character interactions feel muted and artificial, limiting emotional resonance. Overall, the acting grounds the story but does not consistently evoke strong empathy.

  • Story & Flow 50

    In terms of plot coherence and pacing, the film navigates its coming-of-age narrative with mixed success. The central themes of acceptance and family are clear, yet tonal shifts between earnest drama and forced sentiment disrupt engagement. Occasional moments of genuine tension emerge, but the narrative lacks consistent surprises and momentum. The overall flow remains uneven.

  • Sensory Experience 65

    Regarding score and sound design, the film utilizes a subdued musical backdrop that supports its intimate tone. Ambient sound work remains clear but unremarkable. Visually, understated lighting and muted color schemes reinforce the emotional mood, though they seldom create strong stylistic impressions. The sensory elements are cohesive but modest in impact.

  • Rewatch Factor 50

    As for replay value, So B. It offers worthwhile moments but may feel less rewarding on repeat viewings. The emotional peaks and performance highlights are offset by narrative unevenness and limited stylistic variety. While some viewers may revisit it for its thematic sincerity, the film’s overall impact tends to fade over subsequent viewings.

Plot

So B. It Plot Summary

What happens in So B. It from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Heidi finds herself in a rather peculiar situation as she sits in the Sheriff’s office, armed only with a jar of jelly beans and a yearning to escape through the window while a Deputy stands guard. When the County Sheriff, Roy Franklin, enters and asks her to call a coin toss, she nervously complies and surprisingly gets it right not just once, but ten times in a row! This skill captures the Deputy’s attention, but for Heidi, it signals that her friend, Bernie, must have called, a fact confirmed by Roy as he tells her she’s heading home rather than being treated as a runaway. In a mixture of defiance and truth, she asserts, “I’m not a psychic, and I didn’t run away.”

Full summary

The whole story of So B. It, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

So B. It Box Office

So B. It grossed $47,627 worldwide.

2017 box office

Worldwide gross

$47.6K

US & Canada
$47.6K
Videos

So B. It Trailers & Videos

The trailer of So B. It.

So B. It Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Indie
Quiz

How Well Do You Know So B. It?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the sheriff who first interacts with Heidi?

Seen So B. It?

FAQ

So B. It FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of So B. It, each answered in a sentence.

How long is So B. It?

So B. It runs 1 hour 38 minutes (98 minutes).

When was So B. It released?

So B. It was released on October 6, 2017.

Who directed So B. It?

So B. It was directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.

More films by Stephen Gyllenhaal

Who is in the cast of So B. It?

So B. It stars Dash Mihok as Roy Franklin, Jacinda Barrett as Ruby Franklin and Van Epperson as Deputy, among 11 credited actors.

How much did So B. It make at the box office?

So B. It grossed $47,627 worldwide.

How is So B. It rated?

So B. It has 6.9/10 on IMDb, 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, 46 on Metacritic and 67% on TMDB.

Does So B. It have a post-credit scene?

No. So B. It has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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