Reviews

This movie narrates the true story of the rags-to-riches climb of Zezé di Camargo and Luciano. Though it was not so much a straightforward climb as a roller-coaster ride and it probably would never have happened had it not been for the single-minded determination of their father. Indeed, it is as much his story and that of their brother Emival as it is theirs.

Whilst I do not know what really happened, it would appear that the movie tells the story simply and without over-elaboration. All of this, against the contrasting backdrop of the beautiful scenery, electric atmosphere and depressing slums of Brazil and the intoxicating beauty of the music, make for a very pleasant movie experience. But it is the performances of Dablio Moreira and Marcos Henrique, as Young Mirosmar/Zezé Di Camargo and his brother Emival that elevate the film to a different level. Though I somehow doubt it, I hope that these two talented young performers gained the accolades and financial rewards that their outstanding performances merited. What I do know is that, in the Young Artists Awards (2006), Dablio and Marcos jointly won the award for Best Performance in an International Feature Film - Leading Young Performer, in the face of very stiff competition.

Having watched the DVD several times, I purchased a CD of the "movie soundtrack," but I was hugely disappointed! There is absolutely nothing of Dablio Moreira and Marcos Henrique to be heard and I must admit that I was far more moved by their rendition of the music than that of Zezé di Camargo and Luciano. I am nothing short of amazed that there has still been no International release of a DVD. It's a beautiful movie and anyone believing that it would have no appeal outside of its native Brazil must be crazy!

Possibly the worst comedy that I have ever seen. I cannot even think of an age group that might enjoy this cliché-ridden garbage. I made the huge mistake of buying the DVD and I wanted to enjoy it. In the event, I never smiled once whilst watching it.

If you collect all the hackneyed old scenes from every comedy film that you can think of and string them loosely together, you do not have a comedy. If you then get all of the adults to act like idiots and make the children be irritating, you still don't have a comedy. Comedy is all about comic timing. Don't expect any of that here!

It pains me that in this day and age, with all the wonderful comedy of recent years, these particular film-makers appear to have learnt nothing whatsoever! Truly dire! Recipe For Disaster? It certainly is!

Let me say right off that this is a wonderful movie and will hear no criticism of it. It is a movie about hope and desperation; about exploitation and trust; about adversity bringing out the best in some, but the worst in others; and about love springing up in the most unlikely of situations.

Sharkey (Bob Hoskins) is a fraud, a con-man, a man prepared to exploit children rendered desperate by the diabolical realities of war. Vlado (Sergiusz Zymelka) is one such child, a street kid living rough, forced to survive on his wits and surrounded by death, despair and the horrors of war to such an extent that he is hardened by it all and his survival instincts have totally taken over. When Vlado, desperate to escape to a normal life, willingly becomes Sharkey's meal-ticket, his youthful exuberance, joy of life and practical common sense start to break down stone-clad casing surrounding the man's heart. As adversity pulls them closer together, a growing bond between this unlikely pair starts to strengthen. But will this bond eventually break both of their hearts, or will it prove to be their ultimate salvation? Bob Hoskins was terrific in an unaccustomed role. But Sergiusz Zymelka was a revelation. His performance was nothing short of sensational for one so young. His performance was worthy of an Oscar nomination. One has to wonder why a young actor with this much talent is playing small parts on television in his native Poland, when casting agents from around the world ought to be knocking his door down! Ten out of ten for the movie. The rating for Sergiusz Zymelka is right off the scale. Top ten all-time child actor performance for me.

A boy is orphaned and his only surviving relatives, an ageing aunt and uncle, somewhat reluctantly, take him in. The aunt, still traumatised by the death by drowning, years earlier, of her own two sons, has little idea how to handle the boy. As if, losing his parents and not really feeling welcome in his new home, were not enough, the boy is bullied at school. He seeks sanctuary from all of his troubles in the open air, in the company of wolves and particularly in the presence of a young wolf whose life he has saved. Burt Reynolds, as the uncle and Jason Priestley, as the schoolmaster, are both excellent in unusually tender roles and Marthe Keller is convincing as the troubled aunt. But it is a personable and talented young actor of huge potential, Devin Douglas Drewitz who steals the show. This young man, who first sprang to prominence in Steven Spielberg's, Taken, playing young Charlie Keys, will, God-willing, be around for years to come and will soon get the starring role that he deserves.

The movie industry never ceases to amaze me. How can it be that such a gem as this can be hidden away for so long and only be shown in scattered parts of the globe? It is a travesty and a huge mistake on someone's part. I know for a fact that this movie would go down a storm in the U.K. Yet, three years after it was made, it has never been seen in a British cinema, never been released on video or DVD in Britain and has not yet been shown on TV either. I had to buy a video tape from Australia!

But, make no mistake, this movie is unique and an absolutely brilliant comedy. It is a chapter of accidents, in which nothing ever goes according to plan and the flashbacks, where events are constantly changing, are a hoot.

To me personally, the Orlando Jones, Miss Cocoa character was a bit pointless, but some would no doubt find him amusing. Otherwise, the characters were a treat and superbly played. I single out Steve Zahn who was excellent as the bungling barber, Kresk; Elijah Wood who made me ache with laughter as a "hitman", the new kid on the block; Jeff Goldblum as the wicked Avnet; Tom Wilkinson as the English scoundrel, Bollingsworth; and Salma Hayek who could arrest me anytime. But,oh, Devin Drewitz! Devin Drewitz, was terrific as the hyperactive, Scottie. He was never still for an instant. Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, but Dennis the Menace had nothing on this kid. Remember the name! The kid will go far.

I started watching this movie with eager anticipation, but felt let down long before the end. The need for a sequel to An Unexpected Family was evident, but when the story is as weak as this, the sequel loses any point. Maybe Noah Fleiss and Chelsea Russo had school commitments which meant that they could only be on set for part of the time. Or maybe the screenwriters had failed to identify the magic that had made the previous film so moving. Whatever the reason, the effect of relegating the two children to virtual bit-part players was to deprive this movie of any heart. It is only in those scenes where Matt and Megan are involved that the film comes to life. Unfortunately such scenes are all too rare. S. Epatha Merkerson plays a nice little part, as does RuPaul. Interestingly both of them had also appeared with Noah Fleiss in A Mother's Prayer. But all in all this film simply wastes the talents of an impressive cast.

There are times when the critics crucify a movie and those who star in it, with no justification. I ignore critics completely because I know what I like. I find it particularly offensive when unjust criticism is levelled at young performers at the start of a career. For this reason I shall begin by mentioning Charlie Hofheimer's role in the film. This was his biggest part to date and brother it must have been hard. He had to play a straight role with no comic lines between the two old hands, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal who obviously ad-libbed from beginning to end. It is of enormous credit to him that he managed to keep a straight face at all. His character was a spoiled teenager who was at various times in love, in a drunken stupor, on the run from criminals and suddenly confused about who his father was. I fail to see how he could have carried this part off better than he did. Add to this the fact that at 15/16 Charlie was undoubtedly one of the most handsome young men in America.

Williams with his extravagant style and Crystal with the more subtle approach provided the perfect foil for each other. So the comedy flowed. Nor did all of the best comic moments happen when these two were involved. The third father's rescue mission was hilarious.

There was also a fair amount of pathos running through the film which made it into just the kind of happy/ sad mixture that I love.This was no Oscar nomination, but good, clean, harmless fun. Enjoy!

This is a beautiful little sentimental movie. If that is precisely the kind of movie that you are looking for, then I promise you that you will not be disappointed. If you choose to watch it because you like any of the stars in it you will be equally happy, since all the performances are good also.

I chose to watch it as one of the few Noah Fleiss films that I hadn't seen yet. I was not disappointed either! You know, this young star has so much talent that it is almost frightening! God willing, he will be on our screens for a very long time.

Much of what I have to say has already been said by others. So my contribution will be brief. This is one of the most sincere and touching films that I have ever seen. If you are easily moved to tears, have a whole packet of tissues handy.

Though we may not be aware of the fact, there are women all over the world dying of Aids. Often they leave orphaned children behind. They and their children are frequently the innocent victims of a husband's selfish behaviour. Rosemary Holmstrom (Linda Hamilton) finds herself faced with just such a predicament completely out of the blue. She is a widow with no suitable relatives to look after her precious only child, T.J.(Noah Fleiss) after her inevitable premature death. So she sets about finding suitable parents to adopt him. The whole process tears her heart out, and it will do the same to you.

Linda Hamilton is convincing as the stricken mother and there are sensitive contributions from S. Epatha Merkerson and RuPaul, amongst others. But Noah Fleiss, as T.J., steals the show, not for the first time or for the last. He plays a child in a state of shock; confused, angry, deeply hurt, uncertain of his future, but still, witty, funny and above all loving. Simply terrific in only his third film. In one scene, in the middle of the film, T.J. is asked when he feels the hurt. There is a pregnant pause before T.J., staring wide-eyed straight into the camera replies, "All the time." I knew instantly that I had seen this before. In "The Sixth Sense" Haley Joel Osment is asked when he sees dead people. He pauses, opens his eyes wide, looks straight at the camera and replies, "All the time." Ironically that little poignant scene, possibly cribbed straight out this movie, helped Osment pip Fleiss (Joe The King) to the young actor award!

This is one of those movies where the user rating seems strangely out of step with the comments on it. With one, barely worth the mention, exception, all those who have commented liked the film. I too found it a very pleasant diversion and a film that I have happily watched several times.

To my way of thinking young David Arnott does a terrific job and is absolutely charming. He plays Chris, a completely innocent kid who gets on the wrong side of the law, when he sees an opportunity to get enough cash to rescue his mother, Goldie Horn, from her new job as a stripper. It is a big ask to take a 12-year old lad with no acting experience to play what amounts to the lead in a movie and to narrate it too. It is also asking a lot for him to have to be filmed briefly in the buff in one scene. If he had a problem or two, it is hardly surprising. Nevertheless, it is his innocent charm which carries the film. There is also a nice chemistry between David Arnott and Goldie Horn.

I sincerely hope that this was not another case of the critics massacring a movie and with it a promising kid's career.

This is not the best thriller that I have ever seen, nor is it anywhere near the worst. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the two friends who watched it with me.

Charlie Sheen stars as a fireman, once decorated for bravery, turned psychopath. The chief targets of his increasingly paranoid behaviour are the perfectly normal family who just happen to live next door. As his private war escalates, their very lives are endangered , as are the lives of anyone else unfortunate enough to get in his way.

For me the film suffers through its lack of development of the main characters. Nevertheless, it is well worth watching and none but the the hypercritical will be disappointed.

Charlie Sheen is convincing in an unfamiliar role; Mare Winningham does a sterling job as the terrified, but protective mother; and Noah Fleiss shines once again as Zach. I find it both bizarre and sickening that anyone could find the acting of this talented young actor "poor". I like Elijah Wood and Joe Mazzello, but would not hesitate to put Noah Fleiss in the same bracket. Given reasonable breaks, this kid is going to be MEGA!

I came across this film almost by accident. I have a habit of searching the IMDB for other films of actors and actresses whose performances I have enjoyed. So it was that I saw the promise of Noah Fleiss, as shown in Josh and S.A.M., bloom to fruition in his mature performance in this wonderful film.

Joe is a youngster living in poverty and deprived of love. He is brutalised and humiliated by his teacher and by his drunken father. Only his favoured brother, Mike and a similarly love-starved friend, and eventually a concerned counsellor (Ethan Hawke) lend him any support. Remarkably Joe is totally unselfish and, having slaved to earn cash just to survive and to improve the lives of those close to him, he is gradually driven more and more into crime.

I watched this film with two friends and the three of us were so captivated by this touching story that none of us moved or uttered a word until long after the credits had finished rolling. When the silence was broken it was with the words "Wow! How good was that?" Remember the name, Noah Fleiss, because he is destined to be a star.

This is a powerful and moving story which encaptulates everything that is good in movies. Good acting, beautiful scenery,sensational music, and a moving story which takes the viewer on a journey through the full gamut of emotions and wrenches at the very heart-strings. The close relationship between two fun-loving brothers comes under threat when a beautiful, sensitive girl arrives on the scene. As the younger brother comes of age, the inevitable jealousy, confusion, rivalry and lust place their brotherly love in jeopardy. The only certainty is that nothing can ever be the same again. With a strong touch of Irish good humour and an animal story thrown in for good measure, I, unhesitatingly, give this movie 10 out of 10.

Having looked everywhere for information about this film for well over a year, I was shocked when it suddenly popped up on Cable and Satellite last weekend. It was quite different to what I had expected, but nevertheless well worth the wait. If you are looking for a film that will make you laugh and make you cry, but leave you with a nice warm feeling inside, then look no further. The whole cast is excellent, without a weak link and there are fine performances by Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson and Keith Carradine. But, not for the first time, Joe Mazzello (Radio Flyer,Jurassic Park,The Cure, Simon Birch) steals the show.As Joe's character, Charles is taken, reluctantly, on the journey of a lifetime, he discovers a whole new world, his roots and himself. We, the viewers, see a hugely talented young actor and the character he portrays growing up before our very eyes. This is one film not to be missed!