'Martian Child' Film Review

"Martian Child" is the first of two films where John Cusack plays a single father; the second is the much-anticipated "Grace Is Gone."

John Cusack gives a heartfelt performance David Gordon, a science fiction writer who lost his wife two years ago and wants to adopt a child hoping to fill this void. David adopts, though on a trial basis, Dennis (Bobby Coleman) who spends most of his time in an amazon.com cardboard box because he's a Martian and is afraid of being in the sun for too long. David has a 70's haircut and very pale skin was best described my Harlee (Amanda Peet) by calling him a "little Andy Warhol."

David's best friend Harlee, who some might believe is a perfect match for David, is encouraging David to adopt, where as his sister Liz (Joan Cusack) gives David a hard time because she doesn't feel that David knows the first thing about parenting; after all, Dennis won't go anywhere without his weight belt because he's afraid he will just float away.

Like many soon-to-be adopted parents, David is a little apprehensive about adopting David because he doesn't know if he is the right parent for the young child who is obviously a little troubled.

Dennis believes that he is on a "mission" and once he completes is mission of taking Polaroid's of his experience on Earth, and "borrowing" other people's belongings; when I say borrow I mean steal, he will then be sent back to Mars.

The main message of the story is about parent and child divide the fantasy world as a coping mechanism, this was Dennis' way of wanting to know why his real parents left him, and teaching kids that it's alright to be different and you shouldn't be forced to be something that you're not. David's baseball analogy said it best, "it's the one game where if you fail seventy percent of the time you're considered good. If you're just a few points better, failing just sixty-seven percent of the time, you're superior." Ladies, before you see the movie, remember to bring the tissue. The movie is definitely a tearjerker.