Martian Child

Photos:

Despite the warnings of his sister (Joan Cusack), sci-fi writer David (John Cusack) copes with the loss of his fiancé by adopting seemingly delusional 6-year-old Dennis (Bobby Coleman), who claims to be from Mars.

Big question: Is this a heartwarming tale of two guys becoming a family, or is it just "Lars and the Real Girl" meets "E.T."?

Catch it: Actually, Cusack and Coleman's complementary performances prevent "Martian Child" from feeling like a second-rate blend of "K-Pax" and "Kindergarten Cop." It's a minor but affectionate flick that knows sometimes all kids seem like they're from Mars, and those without parents don't have much guidance in knowing how to be human.

Skip it: If you're a green thumb with no children. You won't understand why David's friend Harlee (Amanda Peet) says that people spend more time raising tomatoes than kids as if it's a bad thing!

Bottom line: Underplayed flirtations between David and Harlee are quickly forgotten, and "Martian Child" spends too much time leaning on the question of whether or not Dennis really is an alien. The movie works better when, like David and Dennis' attempts to accept themselves and each other, it's just comfortable in its own skin as a story about the challenges for both the adopter and the adoptee.

Bonus: Don't worry if you panic easily. David says, "Hysterical is the new calm," so not only are you frantic, but you're trendy!

Add a comment