Martian Child
| Martian Child | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Menno Meyjes |
| Screenplay by | David Gerrold |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert D. Yeoman |
| Edited by | Bruce Green |
| Music by | Aaron Zigman |
Production company | Flower Films MERADIN Zweite Productions |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $27 million |
| Box office | $9.4 million[1] |
Martian Child is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Menno Meyjes and written by David Gerrold based on his 1994 novelette of the same name. The film stars John Cusack as a writer who adopts a strange young boy (Bobby Coleman) who believes himself to be from Mars. The film was theatrically released on November 2, 2007 by New Line Cinema.
Plot
 | This article needs an improved plot summary. (October 2015) |
David Gordon, a popular science fiction author, was widowed when his wife Mary died as they were trying to adopt a child. Two years later, David is finally matched with a young boy named Dennis. Socially awkward, Dennis believes he is from Mars and only goes outdoors when under the cover of a large box to block out the sun's harmful rays. Although initially hesitant to adopt a boy by himself, David recognizes a part of him in Dennis and slowly coaxes him out of the box and into his home.
With the help of David's friend Harlee and sister Liz, David and Dennis begin an arduous process of learning about each other, from Dennis's incessant photo-taking habits, his inclination to eat only Lucky Charms, and his perpetual stealing, to David's continuing love of his wife, his love of baseball and his own struggles to be accepted by others.
As David teaches Dennis how to be an "Earthling", father and son earn each other's trust and eventually find someone who will love them unequivocally.
Cast
- John Cusack as David Gordon
- Zak Ludwig as young David
- Bobby Coleman as Dennis
- Amanda Peet as Harlee
- Sophie Okonedo as Sophie
- Oliver Platt as Jeff
- Joan Cusack as Liz Gordon
- Anjelica Huston as Tina
- Richard Schiff as Lefkowitz
- Howard Hesseman as Dr. Berg
- David Kaye as Andy
Production
The film is based on David Gerrold's award-winning semi-autobiographical novelette The Martian Child, which he later expanded to novel length. Gerrold had, in real life, adopted a son as an openly gay man. The novelette leaves the sexuality of the narrator undisclosed, however, the novel version identifies him as gay. In the film, the protagonist is straight and has a female love interest, a development which inspired criticism from members of the gay community.[2][3][4]
Release
Box office
Martian Child opened in 2,020 venues on November 2, 2007 and earned $3,376,669 in its first weekend, ranking seventh in the domestic box office and third among the weekend's new releases.[5] The film closed six weeks later on December 13, having grossed $7,500,310 domestically and $1,851,434 overseas, totaling $9,351,744 worldwide.[1] Based on its estimated $27 million budget, the film was a box office bomb.
Critical reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 33% score, based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. The site's consensus states: "Despite some charms, overt emotional manipulation and an inconsistent tone prevents Martian Child from being the heartfelt dramedy it aspires to be."[6] Metacritic reports a 48 out of 100 rating, based on 26 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[7]
Home media
Martian Child was released on DVD on February 12, 2008. It opened at #20 the DVD sales chart, selling 69,000 units for revenue of $1.3 million. As per the latest figures, 400,000 DVD units have been sold, acquiring revenue of $7,613,945. This does not include DVD rentals/Blu-ray sales.[8]
Awards
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29th Young Artist Awards[9] | Best Family Feature Film | Nominated | |
| Best Performance by a Young Actor | Bobby Coleman | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b "Martian Child (2007)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. December 13, 2007. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ Why the Martian Child’s Daddy Isn’t Gay, May 8, 2007, blog entry from co-producer of Martian Child feature film]; via archive.org; page is somewhat corrupt but text can be read by choosing "VIEW SOURCE" in browser
- ^ Brian Juergens. "The Martian Child: where'd the gay go?". Afterelton.com. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
- ^ "Martian Child — Movie and TV Reviews". Scifi.com. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
- ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for November 2-4, 2007". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. November 5, 2007. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "Martian Child (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "Martian Child reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "Martian Child". The Numbers.
- ^ "29th Annual Young Artist Awards". Retrieved May 14, 2012.
External links
- Martian Child at IMDb
- Martian Child at Box Office Mojo
- Martian Child at Rotten Tomatoes
- Please use a more specific Metacritic template.