Martian Child


 
Directed by
Menno Meyjes

David Gerrold is a science fiction writer living in California, who published some short stories about a slightly insane kid he adopted some years before. For some reason writers Seth E. Bass and Jonathan Tolins found these heartwarming, and wrote a script based on them. This is the second film in as many weeks in a new genre I'd call a “maternal romance.”  Its completely platonic, so nobody gets in trouble.

David (John Cusack) a recently widowed science fiction writer, is introduced to young Dennis (Bobby Coleman) while visiting an orphanage. He's told by Sophie(Sophie Okonedo), the person in charge that the little boy living in a box thinks he's from Mars, hence the title.

Of course, after a period of bonding, David is given custody of the kid, and with the help of his sister Liz (Joan Cusack), and girlfriend
Harlee (Amanda Peet), David begins to socialize Dennis and through a number of touching ups and downs finally wins him for good.

Awww. Were it not for the excellent performances, especially the kid's, this would be considered a manipulative piece of saccharine treacle. The film is just one “awwwww” after another. Sure the is the menace of the guy from children's services(Richard Schiff), and the penultimate scene is supposed to have an air of danger, but face it, we know this is going to have a happy ending from the get go. It's predictable as soon as the premise is set up. This doesn't mean that it's bad, of course, but its not all it promises to be, which is something science fictiony. This is a chick flick for guys and as such it doesn't work. Don't bother.


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