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The Martian Child
Directed by: Menno Meyjes
Starring: John Cusack
Genre:
Drama
Run Time: 106
min.
Release Date:
November 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Those of you looking for a
good science fiction film should look elsewhere. Not that THE MARTIAN
CHILD isn’t a good film, it’s just not science fiction.
Based on the true life story of science fiction author David Gerrold’s
experience adopting a challenging child who believes he’s from Mars,
this story is a family drama that tugs at heart-strings and gives us a
fine performance by child actor Bobby Coleman.
John Cusack (GRACE
IS GONE) pulls in an equally fine performance as David
Gerrold, the sci-fi author who eventually adopts Dennis (Coleman).
Finding him in a box at the adoption center, David (Cusack) coaxes him
out of his walled-in life and into the real world. But it takes time and
strength to do it, and David wonders if he has the fortitude and
abilities to bring Dennis all the way. Dealing with parenting as a
single parent, David discovers the additional difficulties of having a
son so different than every other child. Dennis wears weight belts (to
keep him from floating away), needs an umbrella to shield him from the
sun (because Earth is much closer to it than his home planet, Mars), and
his significant dietary requirements (Lucky Charms ...although not
explained would make sense since they contain star shapes, etc.).
The story is told well if not predictably. The engaging portions are
those surrounding Dennis’ conversion from alien to human after the slow
realization that David won’t be letting go of him (“Why did my parents
let me go?”). The significance of the weight belt (to keep him from
floating away like his real parents) and the umbrella (to shield him
from persecution by those the same age) are set up and knocked down with
adequate dramatic flair.
But there are no science fiction elements whatsoever. Similar in tone to
K-PAX, this story focuses on the people and their mental flaws. It tells
us, in no uncertain terms, that being human is okay; that we don’t have
to be from somewhere else in order to be unique and wanted and
understood.
No spaceships. No time travel. No green skinned creatures. Just humans
trying to figure out how to live with one another in something
resembling harmony.
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Image from The Martian
Child
DVD cost: $14.86
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The name of Joan Cusack's
character (Liz) is the same one as of her character in HIGH FIDELITY
(2000), which also features her brother John Cusack in the lead role.
Movie Quote: "So
he thinks he's from Mars ...and you write about Mars. That's great!"
Other Actors/Actresses
from The Martian Child
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