The Mighty

PG-13	Rottentomatoes.com Rating:76%	1998
(Thematic elements, some language, mild crude comments)	Picky Flicks Quote: "Resonates with genuine feeling and storytelling grace." -Chris Grunden, Film Journal International	RUNTIME: 1hr. 40 mins.
Visit:www.screenit.com for complete details		Movie Mood: Poignant

Given The Mighty's subject matter, it could easily have slid into maudlin syrupiness. But, while there are definitely moments during which it teeters on the precipice of sticky sweetness, it never quite falls in, thanks almost entirely to the exceptional cast and the natural, believable bond that develops between its two young leads.

Max is a hulking seventh grader who should be in ninth and towers over the rest of his shrimpy classmates. Unfortunately for him, his size does nothing to improve his reading skills or math scores. Not to mention his popularity. Cue Kevin, a precocious preteen who’s long on brains and imagination and short on physical prowess because of an unusual infirmity known as Morquio's syndrome. He’s assigned to Max as a reading tutor and immediately feels an affinity for the boy with the slow brain and the strong arms. Yes, the whole “outsiders who complete each other” bit is obvious and overdone, but both Elden Henson as the gentle giant and Kieran Culkin as the smart-mouthed boy-genius are so appealing that we don’t mind the cliché so much.

The two begin spending lots of time together, something Gwen (Sharon Stone), Kevin’s hip single mom, is all for since most of her son’s friends to date have been of the imaginary variety. Max’s beleaguered grandparents don’t object either. They’ve got enough on their plate worrying about the fact that Max’s jailbait father’s parole date is fast approaching. Soon, Max is hoisting Kevin’s bent body onto his brawny shoulders and the two are experiencing the joy of belonging for the first time in their young lives. They even manage to get the best of a group of bullies who have been the bane of their separate existences.

The movie would perhaps have been better served by keeping its focus on the camaraderie between the two boys and their shared bond of absent fathers and social rejection. But when Max’s newly released dad kidnaps him, the proceedings take on a suspenseful, overly serious tone as we wonder how Max will escape and whether Kevin’s health will withstand his daring but ill-advised attempts to rescue his friend (without informing any adults of his plan, of course). I’m assuming that most of these plot developments stem from the movie’s inspirational source, a YA novel entitled Freak the Mighty. Still, I must admit to breathing a sigh of relief once all the drama was done.

Culkin is wonderful as the loquatious Kevin, but this is really Max’s story as he comes to terms with his limitations and, thanks to Kevin’s encouragement, learns to cope with and even overcome some of them. He also convinces himself once and for all that he had nothing to do with his mother’s death—a lie that his guilty father pounds into his brain every chance he gets. So why isn’t this Kevin’s show? Well, if you know anything about movie’s featuring sick kids, you’ll be able to figure that one out pretty quickly. If I’ve ruined something for you, I sincerely apologize, but surely you already knew…Ahem. I’ll stop there.

Ultimately, despite a clumsy step here or there, The Mighty still manages to give the old heartstrings a well-earned tug or two. The acting is top-notch, the story touching, and the ending hopeful. It really is mighty (sorry) sweet.

Until next Wednesday, stay picky! Your mind will thank you later.