I know this movie technically came out last year and if people haven’t watched it by now they probably won’t, but still it’s nominated for a few Oscars and might even win one (but won’t) so why not review it?
This movie is about a boy with autism who loses his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attacks and goes on a wild goose chase when he finds a key his father left behind. Also, Sandra Bullock is around as the boy’s mother for…no real reason in particular until the end when she does something that seems impossible and out of character.
What Works: The movie is clearly well-made and has an admirable amount of ambition as it attempts to weave a story about 9/11, autism, and the search for what a key opens (which is less compelling than it sounds). Also, Max Von Sydow shows up for a few good minutes to collect a Best Supporting Actor oscar nomination, and Viola Davis steals two scenes she’s in.
What Doesn’t Work: I felt the main character’s autism and perspective really softened the movie’s gut punch scenes behind plexiglass and an insufferable amount of cuteness. Just when it looks like something is about to breakthrough and really work in this movie, it keeps pulling back and after a while this approach really frustrated me. Also, the movie can get deathly boring when dealing with the search for what that damn key opens, and when the movie finally gets around to solving the mystery, it seems as bored with it as we do. And yet the movie’s refusal to provide a real ending for the mystery still feels unsatisfactory. I mean…how in the hell does a single-minded kid who has been hellbent on finding something just suddenly give up and lose interest in it when he’s one yard away from the goal line? It betrays the character as well as the audience.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Made a much different movie. One that either dealt with a kid grappling with 9/11 or autism because combining the two actually limits what either can really do.