A lot of little kids have issues - from imaginary friends to bed-wetting - but Dennis is different from other little boys because he thinks he’s from Mars. Such is the set up for Martian Child.
When we meet Dennis - played by Bobby Coleman - he’s hiding from the sun under a box. He wears a gravity belt made of batteries so he doesn\'t float away. And he collects samples of Earth materials as part of his 'mission".
Dennis’s adoptive father is widower David played by John Cusack. He’s a maverick science fiction writer – and his imagination would seem to make him the best adoptive dad. But bringing the little space case back to Earth is harder than it sounds.
Martian Child is soppy, soft-centred stuff. Think of it as mawkish from Ork. The little boy, Bobby Coleman, doesn’t go too over-the-top but the script’s whispering wisdom will still have your eyes rolling. And John Cusack, usually so natural, isn’t always comfortable with the wetter emotional moments. Even so, they’ve got some chemistry, and there’s charming support from Amanda Peet.
What’s weirdest is that this is actually based on the true story of sci-fi writer David Gerrold adopting a troubled eight-year-old kid who thought he was from space. Which makes me wonder why in the movie David is a widower, rather than gay, as he is in real life. It really seems to go against the movie’s message of self-acceptance. It’s also indicative of the movie’s wider problem. This is one film so desperate to be loved it doesn’t want to risk offending, or challenging, anyone.
As a well-intentioned but sooky little flick, Martian Child rates two and a half stars.
