Part fairytale, part tearjerker, part animal movie, generally spells disaster in a film. Not here however, as all of the parts mesh quite nicely and the result is an entertaining movie. Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Haley Joel Osment all give believable performances. There is imagination at work and the result is that children 8+ in addition to adults will enjoy "Secondhand Lions". So, if you don't mind breaking out the tissues, I recommend this as an evenings entertainment. For comparison, I would rate another tearjerker "The Three Lives of Thomasina" 6.5., and recommend it as an excellent companion to "Secondhand Lions". - MERK