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Review: Millions (***)
MILLIONS
A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2005 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): *** Most kids can spout things like sports statistics but not Damian Cunningham (Alexander Nathan Etel), a lad of about eight who lives with his slightly older brother Anthony (Lewis Owen McGibbon) in Manchester, England, the home of arguably the most famous sports team in the world, Manchester United. However, Damian has an encyclopedic knowledge of the saints, especially some obscure and sort of weird ones. His obsession becomes more understandable when you find out that his mother is dead. These guardian saints of his come to visit him regularly, offering small nuggets of advice, becoming sort of surrogate mothers. One day, as Damian is curled up in one of his favorite places, a home made of cardboard boxes beside the railroad tracks, a large bag of money drops on him from the heavens, so he figures that it must be a gift from God. Its actually only hundreds of thousands of British pounds, not millions, but the film's name refers more to the good that money can do by benefiting millions. This sweet and heartwarming fairytale is from director Danny Boyle, whose last picture was completely different, the adrenaline-pumping sci-fi film, 28 DAYS LATER. But, Boyle who was at our screening, explained that MILLIONS isn't a kid's movie really, even if it features kids, is told from the kids' perspective and is full of fantasy and imagination. This is an adult level story that kids would like too, although the accents could confuse some. Unlike most such English films set in its industrial heartland, the people live, not in some rundown public housing, but in a brand new set of middle class tract homes that, as the kids say, are "quite spacious really." Living in this affluence presents a real problem for Damian, since he wants to give the money to poor people, and there aren't a lot of them around. Asking someone if they are poor turns out to be an especially bad idea on several levels. To complicate Damian and his brother's task of handling their mound of cash is that it will all be completely worthless in a few days since Britain is converting to the Euro, causing all of the existing pounds sterling to become valueless. As these two charmers work their way into your hearts, Frank Cottrell Boyce's script is wise enough to put just enough of a dark side to the story -- think there might be some bad guys looking to reclaim their lost loot? -- to cut the sweetness so that it never gets cloying. Still, if you need your films to be literal, then this magical little movie, full of energy and wit, might not be your cup of tea. But, if you feel like being whimsically delighted, MILLIONS can easily become one you'll cherish. MILLIONS runs 1:38. It is rated PG for "thematic elements, language, some peril and mild sensuality" and would be acceptable for kids of all ages. The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, March 23, 2005. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas. Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com Email: ************************************************** ********************* Want free reviews and weekly movie and video recommendations via Email? Just send me a letter with the word "subscribe" in the subject line. |
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