http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx MARTIAN CHILD is the kind of heart-warming film that typically gets bad reviews.  Quite frankly, deservedly so.  These movies substitute emotion for plot and logic and hope when viewers’ tear ducts turn on their brains turn off.  To which I say, why not?  What’s wrong with happy endings?  What’s wrong with overcoming adversity?  What’s wrong if your eyes mist up every once in a while when good things happen?  What’s wrong with Frank Capra? If you enjoyed REMEMBER THE TITANS or WE ARE MARSHALL, you’ll certainly enjoy this picture.  Absent the athletic teams, it’s in the same inspirational tradition.  In fact, it might just as easily be called We Are Martian. David Gordon (John Cusack), a recently widower, was something of an odd ball as a child, the kind others always picked on.  But he channeled that energy and became a successful science fiction author.  In a television interview about his best seller, he admits he is one of the characters in the book.  But not the protagonist.  David thinks of himself as the creature. Sophie (Sophie Okonedo), head of a group home, invites David down because she thinks there’s an orphan perfect for him.  His name is Dennis (Bobby Coleman), and it’s hard to understand why she picked a single dad to look after a boy who spends every day in an appliance-sized box marked “fragile” and “handle with care.” Perhaps it’s because Dennis claims to be from Mars on earth for a temporary fact-finding mission.  David’s sister, Liz (John’s real-life sister Joan Cusack), warns him against it.  Harlee (Amanda Peet), his dead wife’s best friend and now David’s buddy, urges him to go ahead. en-US Critics Rant info@criticsrant.com Subtext Version 1.9.4.0 http://www.criticsrant.com/images/default_gravatar_bullhorn.png http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx 77 60 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2030 NOT MY KIND OF MOVIE AT ALL brokun1 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2030 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 11:51:24 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2038 looks like a cute movie but not sure if i will rent it tinkluvspan http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2038 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 18:27:50 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2050 Just saw this today and absolutely loved it!! Fabfish http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2050 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 05:04:49 GMT http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2052 tears? i wont be watchin this one brokun1 http://www.criticsrant.com/archive/2007/11/04/MARTIAN-CHILD-A-Decent-Date-Flick.aspx#2052 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:42:44 GMT