The Martian Child Review
Posted by James McGee on 11.05.2007
Martian Child is out of this world...Sorry, I just wanted to use a line as predictable as this movie.
John Cusack—David
Bobby Coleman—Dennis
Amanda Peet—Harlee
Joan Cusack—Liz
Oliver Platt—Jeff
Richard Schiff—Lefkowitz
Angelica Huston—Mimi
Directed by Menno Meyjes
Written by Seth Bass & Jonathan Tolins; based on the book by David Gerrold
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rated PG for thematic elements and mild language
If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while (and if not, shame on you!), you know I’ve got this whole “Purpose Driven” angle of looking at things. The abbreviated version of my philosophy is that you have to judge a movie by what it is trying to be, not by some rigid set of guidelines. However, that doesn’t mean that, just because a movie fulfills its own purpose, it’s going to appeal to everyone. Most films are geared toward a particular demographic, and if you’re not part of that group, you’re out of luck. That’s the case with Martian Child. It does what it sets out to do, but unless you’re in a sentimental mood, it probably won’t appeal to you.
After the death of his wife, David decides to adopt a child. He is paired with Dennis, a six-year-old who believes he is from Mars. Despite his career as a science-fiction writer, David struggles to understand his new son’s eccentric ways, while Dennis strives to adapt to human culture—especially family life. Along the way, they help each other understand themselves and a little bit about this crazy, mixed up universe.
Martian Child is unflinchingly, unapologetically sentimental, to the point of being sappy at times. But it’s hard to fault the movie for that, because the filmmakers are just playing to audience expectations. David is mourning the loss of his true love. Dennis has been abandoned (whether it is actually by Martians or just his parents is irrelevant to the point—it’s still sad, right?). There’s even a lovable dog thrown into the mix. It’s all pretty manipulative, meant to have you reaching for that box of tissues and uttering words like “heartwarming” or “charming” when the credits roll. The movie does get a little heavy-handed with its symbolism (death as a metaphor for abandonment, humans as aliens trying to find their place in the universe). Angelica Huston (in her brief role as a publishing mogul) even breaks out the dreaded Sledgehammer of Symbolism to pound one point home with one of the hokiest, blatantly “meaningful” lines you’re apt to hear in a film. To her credit, she seems to realize just how much over-kill is involved, delivering the line with all the gusto of reading a grocery list. Still, the movie is just doing what it sets out to do. It is not something that will appeal to a wide cross-section of movie-goers, nor does it really intend to. Martian Child plays to a specific audience, and unless you’re part of that audience, it isn’t likely to hold your interest.
At the center of all this sap, holding it together and keeping it from sinking into embarrassing levels of sentimentality, is John Cusack. As with all his roles, Cusack brings a lot of sincerity to his performance here. No matter what he’s doing or saying, he always manages to convince you that it’s important, and that he honestly believes it with every fiber of his being. Cusack is the type of actor that will probably never get much critical attention because he seems to always play the exact same person in every film. Still, his characters always seem very real, and he is able to connect with the audience like few others. His performance is complimented by Bobby Coleman, who plays Dennis with just the right balance of cute and quirky. Is he really from Mars, or just using his fantasy as a defense mechanism? Coleman makes either possibility seem plausible. The rest of the cast is strong—sister Joan in a typically facetious performance, Oliver Platt playing his usual obnoxious-but-endearing side-kick—but John and Bobby’s chemistry really carries the film into the next stratosphere.
The 411: Martian Child is sentimental, sappy, emotionally manipulative and mildly amusing. In other words, it’s exactly what you’d expect. It is well written, well acted (especially the ever-awesome John Cusack), and succeeds at what it sets out to do, but unless this just happens to be your type of flick, you’re not going to get much out of it.
