Caught this film by accident on Showtime. Its 'get-to-the-point' screenplay holds some similarity to the "Cold Case" television series. Detective Tom Adkins is drawn into a case where the body of a young child in a buried box is found on a construction site. Initially, he holds hope the corpse is that of his own long lost son who disappeared at a roadside carnival some ten years previous when he was 8-years old. However, the deceased child is a boy. The remains prove likely the crime is 50 years old.
The story jumps back into 1958 by introducing Matthew Wakefield and his three super-obedient children; all boys. You're left to guess the ages. Oldest is 13, middle child maybe 11, and John is possibly 9 or 10. Their mother's sudden death leaves Wakefield devastated. He is unemployed and can't find work. He is able to board his two older boys with his wife's childless sister and her ignorant husband.
His youngest son, John, is mentally challenged and deemed unacceptable by the ignorant brother-in-law for the retardation and other questionable reasons (perhaps Wakefield is a homo and John is not his biological offspring) by his brother-in-law. Matthew has no choice but to keep young John with him as he seeks employment. He lands a construction job quickly. His dedication and work ethic keeps him working. He and his young boy move into a nearby rooming house. He also brings his son to work until the site foreman forbids it. No choice but to leave the challenged child home, then the unthinkable in more ways than one: John goes missing.
Back to the future: Detective Adkins realizes the similarities are too coincidental. It appears evident the same killer committed the crimes 40-years apart. The audience already knows the killer. The story follows the path of least resistance.
Jon Hamm is a charmer. His talent is moderated (or obliterated) for whatever reasons in this 91 minute drama. Ditto for Josh Lucas who plays the 1958 father. Lucas is able to rise above the script at times. This is a male dominated piece. Female characters are hollow or dead while alive. In one silly bit Lucas' character joins Sally Ann, the town slut, in an attempt of sexual intercourse during a night-time delivery dock rendezvous.
Everyone's a critic, eh? The film lacks depth.
Spoilers ahead: Wakefield's wife and mother of their three boys commits suicide presumably because her youngest son is a 'retard' in 1958 ??? Our culture had well-advanced by then to accept the mentally retarded. The three brothers introduction in the film would've been better served by a skinny-dip scene in some pond (the ol' swimin hole) where some laughter, splashing and real kid dialog (circa 1958) would have helped develop some audience empathy when they have to separate.
Lucas' relationship with his mentally challenged son offered numerous opportunities to display father/son bonding. Instead it is nothing but unrequited likability. 13 or 14-year old Jimmy Bennett's portrayal of 10-year old John is left in the grayness stumbling his best as the mentally challenged youngest son. His performance is forced at best. It's 1958 and John's hair is near shoulder length giving him a feminine appearance, which is fine if it was somehow addressed via dialog, story line (barbers are afraid of him) or really the script. One could easily suggest that Wakefield allows his son's extra hair because it is a denial of his mentally challenged status, or the hair reminds him of his late wife. Something, anything...? Jon Hamm's Detective Adkins is totally deadpan. We know Hamm is talented; you just need one episode of MAD MEN to understand. His character seems - no, is - totally lost. Adkins memorializes his son's disappearance by keeping the kid's room intact against his wife's better judgment. Here is another opportunity thrown away. While Adkin's son, Tommy, Jr played (very briefly) by Ty Panitz has no - none - nada connection between characters. However, the one flare-up of "real" emotion goes to Adkin's wife, Barbara, played (again, very briefly) by Rhona Mitra when she forces to Adkin's to at least come to terms that their son is dead.
The killer is known by the audience throughout most of the film. Adkin's long-held suspicions are true. The killer in one of the few brief flashes of life explored in this drama admits to Adkins, how wonderful the "killing" made him feel.
I guess little Tommy, Jr.'s body is found as most of the characters walk joyful through the cemetery in the final scene. Joyful perhaps that the filming wrapped that day?
3/10 because the story held great promise, as did the actors based on previous work. And, the editors kept the pace quick and as painless as possible.
The story jumps back into 1958 by introducing Matthew Wakefield and his three super-obedient children; all boys. You're left to guess the ages. Oldest is 13, middle child maybe 11, and John is possibly 9 or 10. Their mother's sudden death leaves Wakefield devastated. He is unemployed and can't find work. He is able to board his two older boys with his wife's childless sister and her ignorant husband.
His youngest son, John, is mentally challenged and deemed unacceptable by the ignorant brother-in-law for the retardation and other questionable reasons (perhaps Wakefield is a homo and John is not his biological offspring) by his brother-in-law. Matthew has no choice but to keep young John with him as he seeks employment. He lands a construction job quickly. His dedication and work ethic keeps him working. He and his young boy move into a nearby rooming house. He also brings his son to work until the site foreman forbids it. No choice but to leave the challenged child home, then the unthinkable in more ways than one: John goes missing.
Back to the future: Detective Adkins realizes the similarities are too coincidental. It appears evident the same killer committed the crimes 40-years apart. The audience already knows the killer. The story follows the path of least resistance.
Jon Hamm is a charmer. His talent is moderated (or obliterated) for whatever reasons in this 91 minute drama. Ditto for Josh Lucas who plays the 1958 father. Lucas is able to rise above the script at times. This is a male dominated piece. Female characters are hollow or dead while alive. In one silly bit Lucas' character joins Sally Ann, the town slut, in an attempt of sexual intercourse during a night-time delivery dock rendezvous.
Everyone's a critic, eh? The film lacks depth.
Spoilers ahead: Wakefield's wife and mother of their three boys commits suicide presumably because her youngest son is a 'retard' in 1958 ??? Our culture had well-advanced by then to accept the mentally retarded. The three brothers introduction in the film would've been better served by a skinny-dip scene in some pond (the ol' swimin hole) where some laughter, splashing and real kid dialog (circa 1958) would have helped develop some audience empathy when they have to separate.
Lucas' relationship with his mentally challenged son offered numerous opportunities to display father/son bonding. Instead it is nothing but unrequited likability. 13 or 14-year old Jimmy Bennett's portrayal of 10-year old John is left in the grayness stumbling his best as the mentally challenged youngest son. His performance is forced at best. It's 1958 and John's hair is near shoulder length giving him a feminine appearance, which is fine if it was somehow addressed via dialog, story line (barbers are afraid of him) or really the script. One could easily suggest that Wakefield allows his son's extra hair because it is a denial of his mentally challenged status, or the hair reminds him of his late wife. Something, anything...? Jon Hamm's Detective Adkins is totally deadpan. We know Hamm is talented; you just need one episode of MAD MEN to understand. His character seems - no, is - totally lost. Adkins memorializes his son's disappearance by keeping the kid's room intact against his wife's better judgment. Here is another opportunity thrown away. While Adkin's son, Tommy, Jr played (very briefly) by Ty Panitz has no - none - nada connection between characters. However, the one flare-up of "real" emotion goes to Adkin's wife, Barbara, played (again, very briefly) by Rhona Mitra when she forces to Adkin's to at least come to terms that their son is dead.
The killer is known by the audience throughout most of the film. Adkin's long-held suspicions are true. The killer in one of the few brief flashes of life explored in this drama admits to Adkins, how wonderful the "killing" made him feel.
I guess little Tommy, Jr.'s body is found as most of the characters walk joyful through the cemetery in the final scene. Joyful perhaps that the filming wrapped that day?
3/10 because the story held great promise, as did the actors based on previous work. And, the editors kept the pace quick and as painless as possible.