Movie Review for Martian Child (2007)

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Martian Child

Review #560 of 365
Movie Review of Martian Child (2007) [PG] 108 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.25
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 2 November 2007
Time: 8:00 pm
DVD Release Date: 12 February 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer

Soundtrack: Download now from Aaron Zigman - Martian Child (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - or - order the CD below

Directed by: Menno Meyjes (Manolete)
Screenplay by: Seth Bass (The Twilight of the Golds) • Jonathan Tolins (The Twilight of the Golds) based on the novel Martian by David Gerrold

Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
John Cusack (1408) • Bobby Coleman (Friends with Money ) • Amanda Peet (Syriana) • Sophie Okonedo (Alex Rider: Stormbreaker) • Joan Cusack (Friends with Money ) • Oliver Platt (The Ten) • Bud (debut) • Richard Schiff ("The West Wing")

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Click to read the spoiler points for Martian Child
There was a time, back in the days of Terms of Endearment, Ordinary People, and Kramer vs. Kramer, when a film like Menno Meyjes's Martian Child starring the brother – sister acting team of John and Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt and the kid, Bobby Coleman would have had a real lock on a Best Picture nomination. It has all the 'right' ingredients for that era: a dramatic, life-changing story, a kid and a dog, great human-interest angle, tense moments, a universal theme (alienation), and actors who really absorb their characters and become them.
"… an essential, intelligent, and emotionally uplifting alternative to other films in theatres this month."
Unfortunately, times have changed, and now audiences find too many films and stories like this on, no offense, the Lifetime™ Network etc., and expect from their Best Picture nominees more expansive stories with larger than life problems. Which is probably why, Martian Child, based on the novel by David Gerrold, isn't likely despite delaying and delaying release until fall, won't have much impact on the film's success especially with such giant films like Lions for Lambs, American Gangster, etc. in theatres for competition. And that, is just too bad because this little but powerful film deserves more limelight.

The story begins with a sci-fi writer named David (John Cusack) mourning and still sad from the unexpected and untimely loss of his fiancée. As she was an adopted child herself, she dreamed of the moment when the two of them would adopt a kid as a couple bringing light to his or her life just as her adoptive parents had to her. In between a best-seller and having received his advance on the sequel, John gets a call from a good friend, Sophie (Sophie Okonedo) who believes she has found the perfect kid for him to consider adopting. Without hesitation, he zips over to the children's center to meet his match. The kid, however, is nowhere to be seen or noticed, actually, because "he's in the box," or so David is informed by a little girl. At once, David is intrigued by this boy in the box, and he learns from Sophie that Dennis (Bobby Coleman) believes he's an alien child sent on a mission to learn about earthlings. Her logic is impeccable. Pairing a person who writes about Mars with a kid who thinks he's from Mars would seem to be a very good idea. The adoption committee headed by the cold and prickly Dr. Lefkowitz (Richard Schiff), grills him about his appropriateness to be an adoptive parent—the irony being, of course, that biological parents are never subjected to any kind of scrutiny at all, let alone a panel interrogation—and eventually agrees to a trial period. After having warmed up to the kid, via gifts of sunglasses and sun screen to protect him from the earth's dangerous sun, David takes Dennis to his house for his first night in a real home. He learns that Dennis will pretty much only eat one thing, Lucky Charms®. He learns that Dennis must wear a weight belt made of D Batteries attached to an old army belt with duct tape or else he'll float away due to the Earth's weaker gravity. Finally, he learns that Dennis likes to take Polaroid® pictures of everything all the time supposedly as part of his measurements and records of life on earth. Some of the stuff that Dennis says and does has David half-doubting the experts who all claim that the Martian stuff is a delusion made up by Dennis's mind to protect him from the pain associated with being abandoned by his biological parents. As his trial guardian, David humors Dennis as much as possible eventually even explaining that, at home, it's fine to be a Martian, but out there, it's better to try and fit in. There relationship grows and trust builds slowly, but Dennis is harboring some very deep-rooted mental trauma. As problems with Dennis increase in magnitude—he has 'sticky' fingers when it comes to respecting the property of others—David begins to doubt whether he can be an appropriate single father for Dennis. His sister, Liz (Joan Cusack) vacillates between being the ultra-supportive and encouraging sister (she has two kids of her own) and being the one to suggest David take Dennis back like a broken toy to Target®. Meanwhile, his long-time friend, Harlee (Amanda Peet) provides constant sunshine and rays of hope for him versus his agent, Jeff (Oliver Platt) who worries about nothing but the completion of his next book. Everything reaches an even greater and more complicated level when David tries to show Dennis that relationship are more important than stuff by allowing him to break nearly every dish in the house just as Dr. Lefkowitz arrives for a routine check-up.

The screenplay co-written by Seth Bass and Jonathan Tolins is a truly memorable and lovely examination of as the tagline reads, "… a man becoming a father...and a boy becoming a son." John Cusack's performance stands out among the best of his career handing the tumultuous emotional issues that accompany such a bold step of adopting a little person, with unknown problems, into one's stable life. He makes it seem like the truly noble act of adoption can be one of the most powerful acts of kindness of a person's life as he transform the sense of doing good for a young person into one where the outcome represents a mutually beneficial experience. Therefore, be prepared with proper quantities of Kleenexs® with you. Bobby Coleman presents the most solidly intriguing performance by a little kid since Haley Joel Osment's role in The Sixth Sense. Mildly precocious, this very smart little kids has created an elaborate fantasy world for himself where he won't have to confront the pain associated with having been abandoned. Rather, his mind holds on to the notion that he has been left on earth by his Martian parents who, of course, are coming back to collect him just as soon as his mission is accomplished.

"Bobby Coleman presents the most solidly intriguing performance by a little kid since Haley Joel Osment's role in The Sixth Sense."
Bobby Coleman handles his role with humor and poise without the pretentiousness too common in child actors of his age. He and John Cusack make for a highly believable son / father combination. The other roles in the film are relatively minor in comparison though certainly Joan Cusack and Amanda Peet are more than capable in their respective roles. Oliver Platt takes a page from his repertoire to bring us a character too similar to ones he's played before. Fortunately, again, his is a minor role and therefore intrusion into the feeling of the film. Anjelica Huston also delivers a typically feisty cameo performance as David's publisher none too thrilled, at first, by his bait and switch routine when it comes to the completion of his highly anticipated sequel. Overall, Martian Child is a fine film, neither overly emotional nor syrupy in presentation. Unfortunately, given the complicated socio-political times, the gravity of the film and it's relative impact as a whole are likely to be a whimper rather than a larger and more important social statement of which the film might have been capable 20 or 30 years ago. Still, if you are looking for something different that a film that makes you want to start a protest march or seek professional guidance as to how to avoid being the one stuck taking your kid to see another computer animated film ever again in your life, Martian Child can provide an essential, intelligent, and emotionally uplifting alternative to other films in theatres this month.
Still Photo Gallery for Martian Child (2007)
(all images used available for purchase – just click desired photo)

Joan Cusack, John Cusack, and Bobby Coleman

Bobby Coleman and John Cusack

Grocery Shopping

Dennis (Bobby Coleman) at School

Bobby Coleman as Dennis

John Cusack as David


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Other Projects Featuring Martian Child (2007)
Cast Members
John Cusack • Bobby Coleman • Amanda Peet
Sophie Okonedo • Joan Cusack • Oliver Platt#VALUE! • Richard Schiff
Director
Menno Meyjes
Writers
Seth Bass • Jonathan Tolins
Book
CD Soundtrack

Review-lite Martian Child (2007) [max of 150 words]
Twenty or thirty years ago, Martian Child would have rivaled Ordinary People or Terms of Endearment and have been a shoo in for a Best Picture nomination. Unfortunately, high tech, hormone-intensified fare now drives Hollywood causing a departure from find emotionally deft dramas like this John Cusack plays sci-fi writer turned adoptive single parent of a little kid who thinks he's a Martian story. It's a shame because there need to be more films with fewer complications like this one out there to offset the over-the-top fare that used to be our escape from reality not our reality. Bobby Coleman, who plays the little 'Martian', delivers the best performance by a kid since.
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