Product Description

A lonely science-fiction writer adopts a boy who claims to be from mars. With the help of his quirky friend & his sister this new father discovers that being a parent means anything is possible. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 05/06/2008 Starring: John Cusack Joan Cusack Rating: Pg

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2781 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2008-02-12
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 107 minutes

Amazon.com
The skeptical, melancholy eyes of John Cusack anchor Martian Child, a sweet but not cloying story of a widowed man who adopts a misfit kid who believes he's from another planet. David Gordon (Cusack) is a successful science-fiction author--which is perhaps what leads a children's counselor (Sophie Okonedo, Dirty Pretty Things) to pair him with a would-be extra-terrestrial named Dennis (Bobby Coleman). Reluctantly at first, David tries to communicate with Dennis by fostering his belief--but as they grow attached to each other, the administrators of the organization that put them together sees this playing along as a failure to be a proper parent and threatens to take Dennis away. The first two-thirds or so of Martian Child are marvelous; though the scenario could be saccharine, the script and performances are full of details and complexities that make it feel genuine and affecting. The last third, unfortunately, seems to be the result of studio meddling, for the themes and emotions become awkwardly overstated. But what will stay with you are the moments of refreshing honesty and tender trust from the earlier part of the movie; the ending, clumsy and tone-deaf though it is, doesn't wipe away the delicate earlier interplay of David and Dennis. Also featuring Oliver Platt (Funny Bones), Amanda Peet (Igby Goes Down), and Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor). --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Family movie
I received this movie in a very timely manner. This is important.
The movie is a nice family movie.

Feel Good Movie to Watch Over and Over Again
This is a feel good movie that I watch over and over again. John Cusak and his real life sister, Joan, do a superb job of showing the brother/sister relationship where boundaries are sometimes blurred in the name of love. John does a fantastic job of being a "grown up" who is open to allowing this unusual child to be himself for the most part. The whole idea of trying to be the person you are "expected" to be and the realization that you are okay just the way you are, and that it's okay to be your unique self, as long as you don't hurt yourself or others, is what makes this movie an enjoyable experience. It is funny and sensitive and should be considered a parental training film, especially if you have one of those kids that seems to hear a different drummer.

An unexpected joy...
Wow. I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did. I'm a fan of John Cusack. I love him. I know, I know. Shut up. But I do. The kid though... wow. The kid nearly stole the show on this one. This was such a warm, heart felt film. Every single person in it did a wonderful job of acting, I lost myself in this one for a while. It was really - really - really good. Watch it.