Ok, this one is a bit on the cheesy side of things, but the film has a heart. It was an 80’s film so; we all remember how things were back then. I think however this was an interesting story, with a basic premise of a boy able to fly hence the title. It seemed to gather a cult like audience over time, and many people thought it was enjoyable including me. I have enjoyed the work of director/writer Nick Castle in some of his other films including The Last Starfighter (1984). He seems to be able to capture the human spirit in some way in all of his films and brings the characters to life. In this film he doesn’t fall short.
The film makes use of some narration during some sequences as you watch the story unfold. The story starts with the Michaelson family moving to a new area, in this neighborhood their lives change. Lucy Deakins stars as a young teenage girl named Milly Michaelson, she discovers her neighbor Eric Gibb played by Jay Underwood has a unique gift. She seems to get closer to him as the film progresses. Eric is an introverted silent type of a guy and a bit of a loner.
I wanted to mention that both Jay Underwood and Lucy Deakins both worked with the late great John Candy. Which I thought was interesting, Jay Underwood was the character “Bug” in Uncle Buck (1989) and Lucy Deakins was the character “Cammie” in The Great Outdoors (1988). I thought Lucy’s film career was cut way too short; she had potential to sustain a much longer career. In case you wondered what happened to her, she is now married and working as an attorney in New York City.
Bonnie Bedelia plays Milly’s recently widowed mother named Charlene Michaelson, her younger brother you might also recognize Louis Michaelson played by a very young Fred Savage. Colleen Dewhurst is Mrs. Sherman, the late Fred Gwynne is Uncle Hugo Gibb, Mindy Cohn is Geneva, Janet MacLachlan is Mrs. D’Gregario, Jennifer Michas is Mona, Michelle Bardeaux is Erin, Aura Pithart is Colette, Cameron Bancroft is Joe, Chris Arnold is Sonny, Sean Kelso is the Bad Boy and keep your eyes open for Jason Priestley as Gary.
I think this film still holds up even today, it is some enjoyable you can watch with your family and friends. It is tough to find good character driven stories nowadays. This one is a bit of an old gem.
“Between a silent boy and a beautiful girl lies an amazing secret”
Some movies you remember for their creativity, and this one was this type of a movie. Imagine a world without power? We are all so dependent on having it, that when we lose it, all hell can break loose. The tagline for this one was: “When Nothing Works, Anything Goes” I thought this one was good enough to rent or find for cheap to buy. It makes you think about how things can change dramatically for your family and friends, in an over the top situation directed by David Koepp. This was written by James Burke and David Koepp also co-wrote the screenplay.
The cast includes an underrated array of characters played by Kyle MacLachlan as Matthew, Elisabeth Shue as Annie Kay and Dermot Mulroney as Joe. They are all close friends and decide to stick together to overcome the extreme environment which they now have to deal with. They have no choice in the matter and their lives are in constant threat. Each day for them is another victory in this strangely entertaining tale.
I think some critics didn’t like this film, and thought there was something missing. Perhaps it was the choice of actors and the director’s vision. Who knows? I still think it was worthy of a watch regardless of what others thought. More often than not the so-called critics compare any older release to something fresh out in the theatres. The choices for watchable movies seem to dwindle each year. I’ve been disappointed recently in some of the upcoming releases.
There are more first name only appearances in this feature which include: Rick Worthy as Johnny, Richard T. Jones as Raymond, Bill Smitrovich, Steph, Michael Rooker as Gary, Tori Kristiansen as Sarah, and Tyra Kristiansen as Sarah. (Yes the younger girl Sarah was played by a set of twins on set) This was the girl’s only appearance known on screen.
Overall, I think you will find this one to be entertaining enough to check out. The actors seemed to make the most out of what they had to work with. It would be considered a B list or even C list movie to some. But, I thought it was worthwhile for sure. Check this one out if you want to see something with a different kind of premise.
