This is a kid's film. Or, if you are over eighteen and not not too critical about a realistic approach to tot acting, and want an easy-to-watch family tearjerker with some major stars going through their paces with professional expertise, this is your ticket to what Hollywood wants us to experience as a "Heartwarming Experience."
Having recently also watched "Ali Azoua--Price Of The City," "I'm Not Scared," and "Children of Heaven," I'm made acutely aware of the studio-taught limitations of Tinseltown tots, particular Culkin, who doesn't have much to do but react cutely and alter the direction of the plot; young Chlumsky has been trained perfectly and doesn't miss a beat, but the spontaneous reality of kids you find in Stand By Me, say, or Ali Zouoa, has been traded off for predictability. Jamie Lee Curtis has a warmth that enlivens much of the film, and strikes a notable balance that made most of the film work for me. It's a kid's film, and on that basis, it succeeds very well.
Having recently also watched "Ali Azoua--Price Of The City," "I'm Not Scared," and "Children of Heaven," I'm made acutely aware of the studio-taught limitations of Tinseltown tots, particular Culkin, who doesn't have much to do but react cutely and alter the direction of the plot; young Chlumsky has been trained perfectly and doesn't miss a beat, but the spontaneous reality of kids you find in Stand By Me, say, or Ali Zouoa, has been traded off for predictability. Jamie Lee Curtis has a warmth that enlivens much of the film, and strikes a notable balance that made most of the film work for me. It's a kid's film, and on that basis, it succeeds very well.