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The Dust Factory

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The Dust Factory (2004)

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Reviews Counted:11

Fresh:1

Rotten:10

Average Rating:2.9/10

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for thematic elements and some scary images

Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Oct 15, 2004 Limited

Synopsis: "The Dust Factory" is an adventure about the love and friendship between two teenagers who help each other through a difficult time in their lives. Ryan Flynn (Ryan Kelley) is a wondrous young... "The Dust Factory" is an adventure about the love and friendship between two teenagers who help each other through a difficult time in their lives. Ryan Flynn (Ryan Kelley) is a wondrous young boy who hasn't spoken since witnessing his father's death at the age of nine. Even though his world is silent, Ryan, now thirteen, has formed a unique bond with his best friend Rocky (Michael Angarano), his mom Angie (Kim Myers) and his step-father Lionel (Peter Horton). They all respect the world he lives in, never treat him as though he's different, and encourage him to find the things in his life that he enjoys. It seemed like any other summer day. Ryan and Rocky have taken off for a day of fishing at the lake nearby. With Ryan on in-line skates and Rocky on his bike, they race to their favorite fishing spot. The shortcut to the lake is over an old rickety bridge that Rocky is always hesitant to take. Ryan, on the other hand, races across. Tragically, the rotted wood gives way, and Ryan falls into the water below. Underwater, Ryan has been knocked unconscious and is magically transported to a fantasy realm known as The Dust Factory. A place Ryan will soon find mirrors his fear of mortality. As Ryan swims to shore, Rocky is nowhere to be found. He rushes home to find the house he grew up in quiet, his mom absent, and his grandfather sitting quietly in his bedroom. They speak, which surprises both of them. Grandpa Randolph (Armin Mueller-Stahl) has been suffering from Alzheimer's and hasn't spoken a word in years. This sparks curiosity in Ryan. Where is he? Is he dead? The young boy who hasn't said a word in years is now having a conversation with the grandfather he hardly knows and thought he had lost forever. What follows for Ryan is a journey of courage, and it is built on dreams. In this strange yet familiar world, Ryan meets Melanie (Hayden Panettiere), a precocious young beauty, who steals his heart. Together they embark on an adventure where they confront their fears and develop a friendship built on trust and love. Melanie explains this enchanted new world to Ryan and introduces him to The Dust Factory: A big top where attempting a triple flip from the trapeze can send him back to the life he left behind--a life of uncertainty and fear. Ryan finds himself caught between "taking the leap" and staying in The Dust Factory with its endless days and the comfort of an unchanging landscape. For awhile, The Dust Factory seems to be the perfect fit. Melanie and Ryan teach one another to dance and laugh again, both finding a renewed joy in life. Ryan also spends time with his grandfather, who imparts his wisdom and knowledge to help Ryan make the right decisions for his own young life. Ryan, Melanie, and Grandpa all have different experiences to share with one another, and they are all in a place, somewhere between heaven and earth, with a very important decision to make. Ultimately, they all need to face the challenge of finding their way home. -- © MGM [More]

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Kelley, Armin Mueller-Stahl

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Kelley, Armin Mueller-Stahl

Director: Eric Small

Director: Eric Small
Screenwriter: Eric Small
Producer: Philip Davis
Studio: MGM/UA

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Release:

Mar 22, 2005

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Reviews for The Dust Factory

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1 - 13 (sorted by date)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/08
Joe Leydon
Joe Leydon
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's all very whimsical and fluffy, but the bottom line is, who cares?

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
06/26/05
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

I was rooting for the motes.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
10/26/04
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

one of the most original and imaginative children's films in a long time.

Full Review Source: Dallas Observer | comment Comment
10/22/04
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
Dallas Observer

A tedious, precious fantasy about a boy faced with choosing between life and death -- an endless existence in limbo is actually more like it.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
10/20/04
Kevin Crust
Kevin Crust
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It could use a better title, although this awful one certainly captures the film's tedium.

Full Review Source: Miami Herald | comment Comment
10/15/04
Connie Ogle
Connie Ogle
Miami Herald

It's the dreariest children's story I've ever seen... gloomy, depressing, and way too long. Somebody get the Hoover - back to dust is where this movie needs to go.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
10/15/04
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

A well-intentioned but unconvincing fable.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
10/14/04
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It would have made a much more powerful short than full-length movie.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
10/14/04
Nancy Churnin
Nancy Churnin
Dallas Morning News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's actually just kind of stupid.

Full Review Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel | comment Comment
10/14/04
Phoebe Flowers
Phoebe Flowers
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Comes across like an earnest after-school special disfigured by off-putting fantasy elements and bloated with self-indulgent touches.

Full Review Source: One Guy's Opinion | comment Comment
10/14/04
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

When your main character goes off into a fantasy world where anything can happen and absolutely nothing does, that's unfortunate.

Full Review Source: Supercala.com | comment Comment
10/13/04
John Venable
John Venable
Supercala.com
 
 
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