The Boy Who Could Fly

Critics Consensus

Writer-director Nick Castle's careful command of tone keeps The Boy Who Could Fly from fully surrendering to its story's sentimental tendencies.

69%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 9,370

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The Boy Who Could Fly Photos

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Movie Info

Kindly adolescent Milly (Lucy Deakins) moves in next door to autistic teen Eric Gibb (Jay Underwood). The mute Eric, whose parents were killed when he was 5 years old, lives with his hard-drinking uncle, Hugo (Fred Gwynne), and is obsessed with birds. His tendency to stand on rooftops and window ledges posed as if he's flying alarms his social workers, but when Eric saves Milly from a potentially deadly fall, she begins to believe that the boy really can take flight.

Genre:

fantasy
Original Language:

English
Director:

Nick Castle
Release Date (Streaming):

Oct 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA):

$6.3M
Runtime:

1h 48m
Sound Mix:

Surround

Cast & Crew

Lucy Deakins
Milly

Jay Underwood
Eric

Bonnie Bedelia
Charlene

Fred Savage
Louis

Colleen Dewhurst
Mrs. Sherman

Fred Gwynne
Uncle Hugo

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Critic Reviews for The Boy Who Could Fly

A commendable rarity: a sensitive children's film that neither patronises them nor insults their intelligence.

July 16, 2020 | Full Review…

Gavin Bainbridge
Empire Magazine
The unevenness in tone here makes watching ''The Boy Who Could Fly'' a little like hitting airpockets in a puddlejumper.

July 16, 2020 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

Johanna Steinmetz
Chicago Tribune
Though the film is both sappy and cliched, it's not as sappy or cliched as might be expected.

July 16, 2020 | Full Review…

Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
"The Boy Who Could Fly" is as fragile as a kite, yet it's kept aloft by the commitment of writer-director Nick Castle and the talent and presence of lovely young Lucy Deakins, who has that crucial gift of catching us up in her imagination.

July 16, 2020 | Full Review…

Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
A charming fantasy with a lot of heart.

December 28, 2010 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
Under Nick Castle's careful direction, scenes never become maudlin, which is remarkable considering the potential of the subject matter. Deakins and Underwood handle their difficult roles with amazing grace.

March 26, 2009 | Full Review…

Variety Staff
Variety
Everyone has dreams about flying. Here, with The Boy Who Could Fly, one feels it just might be possible -- if not in the head, at least in the heart.

July 16, 2020 | Full Review…

Roger Hurlburt
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Its vision is light and full of personality. [Full Review in Spanish]

June 5, 2020 | Full Review…

Ángel Luis Inurria
El Pais (Spain)
Grows increasingly trite and unengaging as it moves along.

April 19, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
Filmmaker Castle has infused The Boy Who Could Fly with an exceedingly (and often excessively) deliberate pace that prevents the viewer from connecting to the material throughout...

August 3, 2018 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
One of the best family films of the 80s. Lucy Deakins and Jay Underwood are delightful. A film you'll cherish forever.

April 19, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

Caffeinated Clint
Moviehole
Quote not available.

August 11, 2005 | Rating: 2/5

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

View All Critic Reviews (30)

Audience Reviews for The Boy Who Could Fly

Sep 06, 2010

I really liked this movie when I was a kid, I thought it was cool, and it has Fred Savage from the Wonder Years. Now, it seems kind of silly and predictable, but it's okay.

Aj V Super Reviewer
Dec 31, 2008

Aww...I remember watching this in either 4th or 5th grade.

Nani V Super Reviewer
Jan 08, 2008

I like it. It's simple but it has a good story and some funny parts to help it along. And who doesn't want to fly?

Jason S Super Reviewer
Nov 30, 2007

I remember this movie from childhood. All I can think of is he's like retarded and flies out the window or something. I should probably see it again before you take this review seriously.

Curtis L Super Reviewer