The inside "peek" this film allows into the mystery of schizophrenia is underwhelming. Marcia Gay Harden attempts to bring Mary Marino, suburban wife and mother, some authenticity. However, the film's focus is on young Chris and his seemingly disconnected father.
The script is more relevant to the young boy's few hurdles due to his mother's illness. The perfunctory scenes of disbelief, anger and frustration when his mother is manic looking for him on the school bus, or unexpectedly delivering her homemade birthday cake while he is amongst friends at the arcade or bowling alley, demonstrate the obligatory embarrassment and that's it.
Dad's compulsion to complete a homemade sailboat albeit one avenue that allows him to "sail away" from reality makes little sense to the overall structure of the film. Although, it is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.
Young Devon Gearhart shoulders the entire production as middle-schooler Chris Marino. Considering he was about 12-years-old (via IMDb stats), he was excellent. Joe Pantoliano as the father is miscast. He phones-in a stale characterization. The brief moments the script allows him to shine are wasted. Some of his lack of ambition can be laid at the director/screenwriter's door.
4/10 only for Devon and Ms. Hardin's attempts to make this film worthwhile.
The script is more relevant to the young boy's few hurdles due to his mother's illness. The perfunctory scenes of disbelief, anger and frustration when his mother is manic looking for him on the school bus, or unexpectedly delivering her homemade birthday cake while he is amongst friends at the arcade or bowling alley, demonstrate the obligatory embarrassment and that's it.
Dad's compulsion to complete a homemade sailboat albeit one avenue that allows him to "sail away" from reality makes little sense to the overall structure of the film. Although, it is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.
Young Devon Gearhart shoulders the entire production as middle-schooler Chris Marino. Considering he was about 12-years-old (via IMDb stats), he was excellent. Joe Pantoliano as the father is miscast. He phones-in a stale characterization. The brief moments the script allows him to shine are wasted. Some of his lack of ambition can be laid at the director/screenwriter's door.
4/10 only for Devon and Ms. Hardin's attempts to make this film worthwhile.