MARTIAN CHILD (2007) ** 1/2 John Cusack, Bobby Coleman, Amanda Peet, Sophie Okonedo, Joan Cusack, Oliver Platt, Richard Schiff. Melodramatic misfire about a recently widowed sci- fi novelist (Cusack) who decides to adopt a possibly mentally troubled child (newcomer Coleman) who truly believes he is from the Red Planet. While the premise could've been intriguing i.e. is the kid really an alien?- it falls into the "K-PAX" red herring of it doesn't really matter, yet the filmmakers insist on running its gimmicky premise into the ground. Yet Cusack gives a surprisingly affective and strong performance doing all the heavy lifting that his collaboration with director Menno Meyjes (they teamed up previously on "Max") should have had more to offer for himself, and ultimately the audience.
Review of Martian Child
