Parents' Guide to Martian Child

Part About a Boy and part E.T., Martian Child attempts to maintain a sense of mystery by suggesting that Dennis could perhaps be actually from Mars. (He makes wishes that appear to come true.) Intriguing as this may be, it's a distraction from the film's more interesting questions: Is parenting worth the trouble? Do we expect too much from children? And are we all just separate planets in a massive universe that need to converge to save ourselves from extinction?

Director Meyjes' film boasts impressively strong performances but is hampered by a bipolar script that bounces from touching to treacly and back again and dialogue that's sometimes way too obvious. "Just be yourself," David constantly tells Dennis when, in reality, he expects his son to fall in line with the new world order. A psychiatrist character seems more of a caricature than the smart, empathetic shrink you'd think would make decisions about adoption. And one ultra-dramatic scene two-thirds of the way through the film feels contrived, as if it's placed there to force a moment of connection between David and Dennis. Still, could there be a more naturalistic actor than John Cusack? He's been in a few duds lately, and although Martian Child is no Say Anything, it's certainly a step in the right direction.