| . |
Secondhand Lions
(Reviewed August 4, 2003)
-
A litle whimsy goes a long way, which means too much whimsy goes way too far. "Secondhand Lions," in which Haley Joel Osment is left in the care of a pair of eccentric nutjob uncles (Michael
Caine and Robert Duvall) in the middle of a Texas nowhere, wants to be a weird combination of "Holes," "Stand by Me" and "The Princess Bride," but ends up a mite too calculated and insincere to pull it
off. It's kind of a hard film to dislike, because all three characters are so twinkly and basically likeable, but the things they do feel too episodic and artificial to be truly involving. I didn't buy the lion
subplot at all (one can only wonder what that wooden crate would smell like after a few days, considering that we are supposed to believe the lion never leaves it until late in the movie). Osment is just a
little too old for his role, a problem that especially affects the climax. Worst of all, the movie never seems to make up its mind about whether it is a flat-out farce or an affectionate coming-of-age piece.
There are worse movies you could see, and I wouldn't really argue with someone who said he liked "Secondhand Lions" more than I did, but it kind of missed the mark with me. (Me?
Wishy-washy? Never! Well, maybe...)
Back Row Grade: C-
(Return to index by closing this window)
|
. |