Part of the reason it works is that the film at least tries to make the Kid something other than a face you'd see on a cereal box.
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
Despite the film's laziness and mawkishness, however, Martian Child has some lovely sections.
John Cusack gets seriously spaced out, in this cross between A Beautiful Mind and ET.
Everything you expect it to be, then it goes on for another 20 minutes.
the fairly predictable cornball fluff we anticipate when off-center loners find a middle ground.
An occasionally schmaltzy but likable story of healing and redemption.
John Cusack, Coleman and the rest of the talented crew on screen reach moments of authenticity that are thrilling.
Before long, the story's conceit -- a loud-and-clear metaphor for the ways in which we all sometimes feel alien when it comes to human relationships -- just becomes wearying.
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.
A film so cloying it could have been processed from high-fructose corn syrup.
It's sweet and lovely and honest, and it made me laugh and cry, and John Cusack and the little boy, Bobby Coleman, are fantastic, and I want them to move next door and be my brother and nephew, respectively.
It either is stiff and dry or it piles on the schmaltz in absurd amounts. In that sense, it offers the worst of both worlds.
Unfortunately, the second half of the movie gets pretty messy, and the sudden tonal shifts (things go from light comedy to dark drama) are a bit jarring.
The science-fiction elements are mere window dressing for a story that's most affecting when it's down to earth, rather than when it's following its heroes' flights of fancy.
It's a largely dreary time at the movies and offers next to nothing for the kids that it's advertising to.
In December, Cusack will be back on screen in Grace Is Gone, another portrait of a grieving widower struggling to raise children. Viewers may want to hold out to see him in a film that maintains its sensitivity all the way through.
Heartfelt, but uninspired, the film follows a plodding, predictable path that does not deviate for a second from what the viewer expects.
My heart was ready to be warmed. But it never got above room temperature.
Latest News for Martian Child
November 04, 2007:
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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:
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...
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