Comment

Mar 07, 2017Curiouskind rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
A poignant film about what a child might experience when stricken with a serious illness and is forced to come to terms with very adult issues through a sweet boy, Leo (voiced by Edouard Baer), and the relationships with his family members as they try to find the strength and different ways to cope with Leo's illness in private and while outwardly being supportive of Leo in the best way they know how when at his bedside. When he falls ill and requires an extended stay at the hospital, I suppose there isn't much to do with your time but to think about why your circumstance has come to be, then imagine, and develop your imagination. And imagine he does. He depicts himself as an unlikely hero who helps find resolution to an elaborate crime plot, but this is contrary to his reality to resolve his own mysterious illness and acknowledges he has his limitations. As a phantom, there is a touching scene where he hears a private conversation between his parents and then his younger sister, who is about 3-4 years old, in the playroom at the hospital. Even though his family tries to conceal their fears and concerns, Leo senses their confusion and distress about what else they can do to help. I think its subtle and expandable themes make an enduring story in a creative format. I remember seeing this film playing at the Roxie Theater, an art venue, and hope that people will come to appreciate, value, and support these movie houses for the quality of and sometimes limited-release films shown at similar venues.