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.
Martian Child (2007)
Tomatometer
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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
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Reviews for Martian Child
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It's a largely dreary time at the movies and offers next to nothing for the kids that it's advertising to.
Maudlin, mawkish, and slightly misunderstood itself, Martian Child is the perfect example of good intentions wrapped in Hollywood-lite logistics.
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.
Martian Child would like to be About a Boy (Who Thinks He's a Martian), but, disappointingly, it doesn't even come close.
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.
Apparently, they took the title seriously. It feels so false, you sense it was written, directed and conceived by martians.
An occasionally schmaltzy but likable story of healing and redemption.
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.
A film so cloying it could have been processed from high-fructose corn syrup.
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. ![]()
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November 01, 2007:
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November 01, 2007:
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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...
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