Saving the orphanage from the greedy real-estate people was already a hokey plot when The Blues Brothers came out, but here it is again and at least nobody says "Let's put on a show!" In fact, the humor in the film-- and it's darkish humor-- emerges largely from the attempts to keep the orphanage afloat with zero budget and with no good ideas for raising money.
On the more serious side, the oldest of the orphans finds himself forced into an accelerated maturation that may or may not make a hero out of him. He's helped a little by a social worker who, unaccountably, seems capable of spending hours and hours of unscheduled time with the kids. But her pleasant presence is good for the movie, and so is the assortment of kids, who are portrayed without too much saccharine (with the forgivable exception of the smallest boy).
On the more serious side, the oldest of the orphans finds himself forced into an accelerated maturation that may or may not make a hero out of him. He's helped a little by a social worker who, unaccountably, seems capable of spending hours and hours of unscheduled time with the kids. But her pleasant presence is good for the movie, and so is the assortment of kids, who are portrayed without too much saccharine (with the forgivable exception of the smallest boy).
