RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Martian Child
Martian Child

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Martian Child (2007)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
31 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:102

Fresh:32

Rotten:70

Average Rating:5/10

Consensus: Despite some charms, overt emotional manipulation and an inconsistent tone prevents Martian Child from being the heartfelt dramedy it aspires to be.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for thematic elements and mild language

Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Nov 2, 2007 Wide

Box Office: $7,486,906

Synopsis: After decades of playing single men in romantic comedies from the classic SAY ANYTHING to the critical favorite HIGH FIDELITY, the year 2007 marks a change for John Cusack. With roles as fathers in... After decades of playing single men in romantic comedies from the classic SAY ANYTHING to the critical favorite HIGH FIDELITY, the year 2007 marks a change for John Cusack. With roles as fathers in 1408, GRACE IS GONE, and MARTIAN CHILD, the beloved actor grows up and deserves some of the highest praise of his career. In MARTIAN CHILD, David Gordon (Cusack) is a successful science fiction author, plagued by both the death of his wife and writer's block. When a group home worker (Sophie Okonedo) tries to pair him with a young boy named Dennis (Bobby Coleman), David initially resists. But once David spends time with Dennis, he realizes how special the boy is. The outsider (and sci-fi fan) in David thinks he might just understand Dennis best since the child believes that he's from Mars and he'll return there soon. David and Dennis struggle to create the most unconventional of families, as Dennis strives to learn more about being human. MARTIAN CHILD is a moving drama that works because of the genuine performances of everyone involved, but it rides on both the experienced shoulders of Cusack and those of his young costar, Coleman. Both excel at communicating their characters' isolation and eventual connection, but it's Coleman's work in his first major role that is such a pleasant surprise. Supporting turns from Cusack's sister Joan (who plays his sister in the film) and Amanda Peet add emotional depth to the sweet story. MARTIAN CHILD is based on the autobiographical novel by David Gerrold, who is most famous for writing the STAR TREK fan favorite "The Trouble with Tribbles." [More]

Starring: John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt

Starring: John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Sophie Okonedo, Bobby Coleman, David Kaye, Richard Schiff

Director: Menno Meyjes

Director: Menno Meyjes
Screenwriter: Seth Bass, Jonathan Tolins
Producer: David Kirschner, Ed Elbert, Corey Sienega
Composer: Aaron Zigman
Studio: New Line Cinema

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer
    >
    Interviews
    >
1 - 2 of 2

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Feb 12, 2008

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Martian Child

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by comments)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

No one in the movie speaks like a real person. Even the youngest cast member talks as if footlights and a proscenium hemmed him in.

Full Review Source: Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) | comment 1 Comment
11/03/07
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

You might expect a serious-minded movie about a troubled kid who really thinks he's from Mars to confront the fact that this kid really is troubled. Not so much, here.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment 1 Comment
11/02/07
Evan Henerson
Evan Henerson
Los Angeles Daily News

...a betrayal of the book...

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment 1 Comment
11/09/07
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

It's rare that a movie has this little flavor. Compared to Martian Child, a jar of Gerber's mashed bananas is a taste treat.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment 1 Comment
11/07/07
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Has enough wit and unpredictability to hold your attention.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment 1 Comment
11/03/07
Kyle Smith
Kyle Smith
New York Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The credits state that Martian Child stars John Cusack, Amanda Peet and Joan Cusack, but really, it stars Lucky Charms, M&M's and Amazon.com.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment 1 Comment
11/18/07
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
11/03/07
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
11/17/07
Screen International

It's a bit creepy, since [Dennis's] "quirks" are an unaddressed cry for help in this generic tonal mess that switches to light rom-com mode whenever any of its complicated-fatherhood drama starts to get too realistically sobering.

Full Review Source: Premiere Magazine | comment Comment
11/02/07
Aaron Hillis
Aaron Hillis
Premiere Magazine

An amusing and heartfelt exploration of the ups and downs involved when adopting a child -- in this case, one who insists he's from another planet.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
03/10/08
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

It's a largely dreary time at the movies and offers next to nothing for the kids that it's advertising to.

Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony | comment Comment
11/01/07
Bill Clark
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony

Maudlin, mawkish, and slightly misunderstood itself, Martian Child is the perfect example of good intentions wrapped in Hollywood-lite logistics.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
11/02/07
Bill Gibron
Bill Gibron
PopMatters

It's a well-intended psychological drama, but Meyjes is too afraid to permit the film any darkness...a patchy creation, bouncing between sincere questions of homestead stability and fluffy sitcom montages set to ELO hits.

Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com | comment Comment
11/01/07
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
DVDTalk.com

Martian Child would like to be About a Boy (Who Thinks He's a Martian), but, disappointingly, it doesn't even come close.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
11/02/07
Carina Chocano
Carina Chocano
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
02/27/09
Chris Bumbray
Chris Bumbray
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

The quirky allure of Joan Cusack can offset a lot of sentiment in a movie, but even she drowns in the goop of Martian Child.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
11/01/07
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

Apparently, they took the title seriously. It feels so false, you sense it was written, directed and conceived by martians.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
11/02/07
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

An occasionally schmaltzy but likable story of healing and redemption.

Full Review Source: USA Today | comment Comment
11/01/07
Claudia Puig
Claudia Puig
USA Today

John Cusack's favored co-actors (Oliver Platt, Joan Cusack, and Angelica Huston) add color to a sweet movie that intermittently gets bogged down by poor pacing.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
10/31/07
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

A film so cloying it could have been processed from high-fructose corn syrup.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
11/01/07
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by comments)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
all

Latest News for Martian Child

November 04, 2007: Box Office Guru Wrapup: American Gangster Crushes Competition at #1
The North American box office exploded thanks to the scorching debuts of the Denzel Washington-Russell Crowe crime drama American Gangster and Jerry Seinfeld's animated comedy... More...

November 03, 2007: John Cusack gets seriously spaced out, in this cross between A Beautiful Mind and ET. Opens in new window
More...

November 01, 2007: Critical Consensus: American Gangster is Certified Fresh, Bee's a B-, Martian Alienates
This week at the movies, we've got crime lords (American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe), busy bees (Bee Movie, starring Jerry Seinfeld), and kids from... More...

November 01, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Bees and Gangsters Slug It Out For #1 Spot
Following a sluggish fall season, November kicks off with a bang this weekend with two high profile films both reaching for the number one spot while appealing to vastly... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
86% 86% A Christmas Tale
60% 60% Paper Heart

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196

What’s Hot On RT

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman

The Up in the Air director's Five Faves

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

See what her 10 best reviewed films are!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
156
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
  • Tron Legacy Duo Heading into The Black Hole Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
96
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
63
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
42
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
39
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
39
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
28
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
26
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
21
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
13
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Martian Child at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Martian Child at IGN
  • Martian Child at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
History of Disney Animation
History of Disney Animation External Link

MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.

90 Years of Screen Vampires
90 Years of Screen Vampires External Link

TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.

Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Recent Headlines as TV Movies
Recent Headlines as TV Movies External Link

AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.

The Death of Original Thought
The Death of Original Thought External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.