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"A Martian Peep
Show" |
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Directed by Menno Meyjes-
Written by Seth Bass,
Jonathan Tolins
Starring John Cusack,
Bobby Coleman, Amanda
Peet, Joan Cusack
Distributed by New Line -
2007 - 108mins - Rated
PG |
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John Cusack adopts an alien! |
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Based
upon an award-winning short story from sci-fi writer David Gerrold,
"Martian Child" is loosely based upon Gerrold's own experiences in
being a single gay male who adopted a child.
Of course, I say "loosely" based because in "Martian Child," John
Cusack plays David Gordon, a recently widowed man who decides to
honor the wishes of his late wife by honoring the wishes of his late
wife by adopting a child. In this case, David adopts Dennis (Bobby
Coleman), a troubled young boy who insists he is from Mars.
Supported by his sister Liz (real-life sister Joan Cusack) and his
wife's best friend Harlee (Amanda Peet), David gradually starts to
win the young boy's trust even while dealing with professional
pressures from his agent (Oliver Platt) and publisher (Anjelica
Huston).
Let's be honest. There's few actors who can play the wounded
loner/good guy as competently as John Cusack. David Gordon is a role
Cusack could do in his sleep, but Cusack stays wide awake and offers
a surprisingly affecting and touching performance even when the
script's overwhelming schmaltz and sentimentality betrays his
performance's natural authenticity.
As David and Dennis grow closer, the lines between fantasy and
reality grow thinner as the two begin to grow comfortable in each
other's world.
However, much like the similarly themed "K-Pax," "Martian Child" can
never seen to decide what it really wants to be. While even the
film's website labels the film a "romantic drama," the platonic
flirtations between Harlee and David are clearly secondary to the
father-son drama that unfolds.
Is David simply stuck in complicated bereavement? Is Dennis a
severely abused child escaping to a fantasy world? Is Dennis,
perhaps, really from Mars? Can a child this broken really be loved
back to life?
By the time "Martian Child" begins to reveal the answers to these
questions, director Menno Meyjes (Oscar-nominated screenwriter for
"The Color Purple") has so completely poured on the emotion that the
easily predicted happy ending almost feels anti-climactic yet still
oddly satisfying.
The fact that "Martian Child" survives its emotional histrionics is
largely owing to the two leads, Cusack and Coleman, who also
appeared in "Must Love Dogs" together. Cusack, who also appeared in
Meyjes' penned "Max", is emotionally exuberant as the grieving widow
who realizes that adopting a child simply because his wife wanted to
"isn't good enough."
While Coleman's quiet and breathy acting style is a bit eerie at
times, and more than a little bit reminiscent of the recent
horror-thriller "Joshua," Coleman's chemistry with Cusack allows for
a wonderful vulnerability between the two that brings the script to
life much better than it really should.
Amanda Peet does a nice job as Harlee, though it's hard to deny that
the semi-flirtatious relationship feels out of place and awkward
given the considerable emotional depth that surrounds it. Joan
Cusack shines, as usual, and offers the film much of its humor.
Emmy-winner Richard Schiff ("The West Wing") is restrained in what
could have easily been a caricaturish bad guy role as a Children's
Services worker leery of David's parenting, while Sophie Okonedo
("Hotel Rwanda") adds a nice spark as the group home director who
first contacts David about Dennis.
The production design complements the script quite nicely, though
much like the Seth Bass/Jonathan Tolins script it occasionally
utilizes the sledgehammer approach to get its point across.
Almost despite itself, "Martian Child" rests upon the strength of
its ensemble cast and their uniform ability to overcome a schmaltzy
script and manipulative direction to create a sweet, heartwarming
and life-affirming film. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
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