The Boy Who Could Fly
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Movie Reviews of The Boy Who Could Fly
Movie Review: Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie was great when I was a kid and my kids love it now!Movie Review: Remember when this was the standard for kid's films?
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Boy Who Could Fly" is such a rarity in the genre. This is not so much a kid's movie, as it is a full-blooded drama that happens to have kids as characters. It tells the story of a family, suffering the loss of their father/husband. The decline in income requires them to move into a "fixer upper" home in a quiet residential neighborhood. The eldest child, Millie (beautifully played by Lucy Deakins) becomes fascinated with the teenage autistic boy next door, Eric (Jay Underwood) who sits in his window all day and pretends to fly. Through circumstances at school, Millie takes him on as a "project." As her kindly teacher(Colleen Dewhurst) points out, "Doctors haven't been able to get a word out of him. Maybe a friend could." She tries to draw him out of his condition through every day activities, and over time, the form a very close connection, and even fall in love. Meanwhile, Millie must deal with the burdens of home, trying to reconcile the suicide of her father, and her very stressed out and grief-stricken mother(the wonderful Bonnie Bedelia), who is trying to get back into the work force. While there is certainly more to the story than this, it would be a shame to spoil details for those who have not seen this film. It is uncommonly intelligent, charming, and very moving. It speaks in the language of children, without ever becoming condescending or silly, even when the film's more fantastic elements are revealed. The story and its characters feel real. Their grief feels real. Their longing to believe in happy endings feels real.
The performances are outstanding. Lucy Deakins and Jay Underwood are entirely convincing. It's so rare to see a teenage girl portrayed with this kind of uncynical intelligence. Underwood's Eric barely has any lines in the film, but instead, like a young Harrison Ford, communicates so much in his face that we hardly notice. This is a teen romance for the ages.
The adult players are also fine. Bonnie Bedelia, one of the most convincing actors or our era, plays Charlene as tough yet fragile, nurturing but flawed. The late Colleen Dewhurst is lovely and compassionate as Mrs. Sherman.
Surprisingly the film has been written and directed by Nick Castle, known for such disappointments as "Mr. Wrong" and "The Last Starfighter." He is better known as being the 1st actor to play Michael Myers in the original "Halloween." This is his best film by far. He should try to make more films along these lines. We sure need them.
I hope people will show this film to their kids some day. It is a reminder that films about kids used to be intelligent and authentic, not lobotomized, as I feel they have become over the past 15 years. This film still gives me hope, and gives me the excuse to dream.
Movie Review: A modern Peter Pan story
Summary: 4 Stars
This film was absolutely fantastic! It reminded me of one of those TV movies or a true-life film, which my mum watches constantly, and they don't normally appeal to me. It was a bit slow to start with, and I really didn't think it was going to enjoy it. After watching the trailer, which didn't impress me, I didn't think it would be any good, but the turning point for me would be when Eric smiles for the first time. Jay Underwood played the part brilliantly and you could almost feel that he enjoyed playing the role of Eric. He was lucky not to have a script with loads of lines to learn! Although he never quite managed to say "Millie" (of course not, she gave him the wrong mouth shapes), he managed to poignantly say that he loved Millie, before he flew away, and never returned. I wanted to know what happened to him! Where's the sequel?
Lucy Deakins annoyed me throughout the whole film, as I know her from somewhere. She looks so familiar, but I didn't recognise any of the films she'd appeared in listed in the extras. She also reminds me very much of a young Heather Graham, especially on the front cover, and at certain points throughout the film. I don't know whether it's the blue eyes, or the airbrushed clear skin. She just did.
Bonnie Bedelia played the mother, and although she doesn't appear very much in the film, I recognised her too. She probably stars in a lot of the TV movies that my mum watches.
The one character who made me want to throw something at the TV, was the actress who played Geneva. Talk about annoying! Her voice totally grated. Thankfully, she didn't have a very big starring role, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to watch it.
If you're a fan of `Anne Of Green Gables' (I know I am, considering we've just bought all 3 DVDs), look out for Colleen Dewhurst. She played Marilla Cuthbert in `Anne', and plays Mrs Sherman in this film, one of the teachers.
Also, if you're a fan of `One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', then look out for a small role, of the psychiatrist who comes to see Millie after her fall from the bridge. None other than Nurse Ratchett, played by Louise Fletcher!
This film is a must-see. But get some tissues.
Movie Review: One of my favorite movies from the 80s.
Summary: 4 Stars
The 80s had a lot of great movies from a variety of genres. And with the bevy of great teen flicks, it's easy to forget or overloook a few gems, especially if you didn't catch them during their first runs at the theater or on TV. "The Boy Who Could Fly" is one of those kind of movies. It didn't get the kind of attention, publicity or promotion that, say, the John Hughes-Brat Pack teen flicks did. But box office aside, this movie didn't need it. It stands on its own feet. Though this movie didn't star what could be considered any big names at the time, a lot of great performances by "soon to bees" give this movie a true heart. Since this movie isn't saturated with dialogue or contain a steady pace of action, the heartwarming story is accomplished through fine direction that gets outstanding performances from the entire cast: the adorable and accomplished Lucy Deakins, a very young Fred Savage, Bonnie Bedelia (pre-"Die-Hard"), Mindy Cohn ("Facts of Life"), Colleen Dewhurst, Fred Gwynne (whom directors in the 80s finally realized could act without his Herman Munster costume), and a cameo by effectively typecast Louise Fletcher. It's a great mix of young actors and experienced veterans who create an inspiring, touching story that provides encouraging lessons with such subtlety, you wonder where that lump in your throat came from by the movie's end. I always wanted to see more of Deakins and was disappointed she made so few movies. But I was more impressed to see what she'd done with herself around her movie career. With such a background it's easy to see why her performance as Milly seemed so effortless. The scent of the 80s is evident in this movie in a few ways (the least being the cast itself) which makes it even more "comfort food" for those of us who first saw it back then.Movie Review: They don't make 'em like this anymore.
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm so tired of modern family movies full of fart jokes or movies where teenagers make love to pastries and it's supposed to be funny and then they staple on some superficial message at the end in an attempt to be poignant and balance out all the trash that came before. Every other week we are tortured with some nonsense of this calibre and whenever I wish for a movie that stands out from the crowd I have to go back in time and consider some overlooked gem. The Boy Who Could Fly is exactly that.The characters seem so real and their emotions genuine, it builds at a slow pace but it never gets boring and story development is consistent. This is not a ferociously loud summer crowd-pleaser or something bloated with pointless SFX. Very few movies have the power to make a whole story out of characters and situation alone without feeling the need for some ridiculous set piece or blaring thrash metal guitars.
In fact Bruce Broughton's score is the wonderful opposite of that. The performances, especially the two leads, are flawless and the direction is far more refined than the typical. Everything in this movie comes together perfectly to make a film so unique and charming. If you have lost your faith in the current dreck that graces our screens and if you want a family movie with some meaning and subtext then check this out. And keep an eye out for director John Carpenter as on of the Coupe De Villes.
The DVD is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and in Dolby 2.0. It has an introduction by Jay Underwood and director Nick (Michael Myers) Castle, they also feature in a commentary with Lucy Deakins and Fred Savage.