In like a Lion
A few nights ago, I caught Secondhand Lions, starring Michael Cain, Robert Duvall, and Haley Joel Osment, on television. Although the ending was a bit of a let-down, the actual meat of the movie was wonderful. (Of course, when you pair Duvall and Cain as two gun-toting retirees, you're bound to get something interesting.) Walter (played by Osment) has been deposited with grand-uncles Hub and Garth for a spell while his no-good mother reputedly goes to school. During his summer stay, Walter learns about the exciting past of his two rich uncles, coming to love them before summer's end.
I loved some of the conversations that the two brothers had over the course of the movie. In one instance, Garth buys a load of seeds from a traveling salesman. The uncles and nephew carefully prepare a plot, plant the seeds, and tend the young seedlings. At one point, when they are all out hoeing in the garden, Walter notices that all the seedlings look the same. He begins to ask what is planted in each row. Garth tells him that this row is beets, that row is peas, that row is bok choy. Walter points to a row on the end, saying, "That row looks right. What is that?" Garth tells him it's corn. The men then begin to realize that they have planted an entire garden full of corn. Much gnashing of teeth ensues.
I liked this movie because it was funny and there were some great performances in it. The ending was a little to sentimental for me, but most of the action leading up to that was quite entertaining. This would be a great family film. I don't remember much (if any) racy language, and any violence is pretty stylized in an old-Western sort of way.
I loved some of the conversations that the two brothers had over the course of the movie. In one instance, Garth buys a load of seeds from a traveling salesman. The uncles and nephew carefully prepare a plot, plant the seeds, and tend the young seedlings. At one point, when they are all out hoeing in the garden, Walter notices that all the seedlings look the same. He begins to ask what is planted in each row. Garth tells him that this row is beets, that row is peas, that row is bok choy. Walter points to a row on the end, saying, "That row looks right. What is that?" Garth tells him it's corn. The men then begin to realize that they have planted an entire garden full of corn. Much gnashing of teeth ensues.
I liked this movie because it was funny and there were some great performances in it. The ending was a little to sentimental for me, but most of the action leading up to that was quite entertaining. This would be a great family film. I don't remember much (if any) racy language, and any violence is pretty stylized in an old-Western sort of way.
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