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Martian Child


by Robert D. Yeoman, Bruce Green, Mike Drake, Toby Emmerich, David Gerrold, Mark Kaufman, Matt Moore
Directed by Menno Meyjes
Starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Bobby Coleman, Sophie Okonedo, Joan Cusack
New Line Cinema

List Price: $28.98
Price: $15.99
You Save: $12.99 (45%)
Available: Usually ships in 24 hours
Sales Rank: 2212
Release Date: February 12, 2008
Rated:  
Running Time: 107 minutes
Theatrical Release: November 02, 2007
Studio: New Line Cinema


FORMATS

  • AC-3
  • Closed-captioned
  • Color
  • Dolby
  • DVD-Video
  • Subtitled
  • Widescreen
  • NTSC


EDITORIAL REVIEWS

Product Description
A lonely science-fiction writer adopts a boy who claims to be from mars. With the help of his quirky friend & his sister this new father discovers that being a parent means anything is possible. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 05/06/2008 Starring: John Cusack Joan Cusack Rating: Pg

Amazon.com
The skeptical, melancholy eyes of John Cusack anchor Martian Child, a sweet but not cloying story of a widowed man who adopts a misfit kid who believes he's from another planet. David Gordon (Cusack) is a successful science-fiction author--which is perhaps what leads a children's counselor (Sophie Okonedo, Dirty Pretty Things) to pair him with a would-be extra-terrestrial named Dennis (Bobby Coleman). Reluctantly at first, David tries to communicate with Dennis by fostering his belief--but as they grow attached to each other, the administrators of the organization that put them together sees this playing along as a failure to be a proper parent and threatens to take Dennis away. The first two-thirds or so of Martian Child are marvelous; though the scenario could be saccharine, the script and performances are full of details and complexities that make it feel genuine and affecting. The last third, unfortunately, seems to be the result of studio meddling, for the themes and emotions become awkwardly overstated. But what will stay with you are the moments of refreshing honesty and tender trust from the earlier part of the movie; the ending, clumsy and tone-deaf though it is, doesn't wipe away the delicate earlier interplay of David and Dennis. Also featuring Oliver Platt (Funny Bones), Amanda Peet (Igby Goes Down), and Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor). --Bret Fetzer


CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 58 reviews)

Family movie  
I received this movie in a very timely manner. This is important.
The movie is a nice family movie.
November 16, 2008

Feel Good Movie to Watch Over and Over Again  
This is a feel good movie that I watch over and over again. John Cusak and his real life sister, Joan, do a superb job of showing the brother/sister relationship where boundaries are sometimes blurred in the name of love. John does a fantastic job of being a "grown up" who is open to allowing this unusual child to be himself for the most part. The whole idea of trying to be the person you are "expected" to be and the realization that you are okay just the way you are, and that it's okay to be your unique self, as long as you don't hurt yourself or others, is what makes this movie an enjoyable experience. It is funny and sensitive and should be considered a parental training film, especially if you have one of those kids that seems to hear a different drummer.
October 30, 2008

An unexpected joy...  
Wow. I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did. I'm a fan of John Cusack. I love him. I know, I know. Shut up. But I do. The kid though... wow. The kid nearly stole the show on this one. This was such a warm, heart felt film. Every single person in it did a wonderful job of acting, I lost myself in this one for a while. It was really - really - really good. Watch it.
October 22, 2008

Touching portrait and parent and child connecting  
This a small, gentle movie that is great to watch with family members or someone you love. It's not groundbreaking or anything, but it has great actors - particularly Cusak - and a touching story. Worth checking out if you want a break from guns and explosions.
October 15, 2008

Wow, what a father-son relational movie!  
THis is well done and extremely good acting. Slow in a few places where there is a need to give details but in general is fantastic. A lot of emotion in this movie about learning how to react to a child who has withdrawn emotionally into himself.
The first half is very complex and detailed which adds to the charm and honesty of a widowed, foster parent getting to know what makes his new son tick. About in the middle things go off a little bit too much maybe to an awkward point but the ending brings back all that happened up front to finish in a feel good and nice way.
October 12, 2008


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