Wunder auf der Überholspur

This was a really cute family film---it shows that the underdog CAN rise to the top and win the prize. Of course, it didn't hurt to have Frankie Muniz as the star; he is a likeable and talented young actor. No wonder "Malcolm in the Middle" is such a big hit.

I searched up this movie remember watching it once on Disney Channel and expected a hidden gem. I ended up disappointed but that's not to say there's nothing redeemable. The actors keep up a family chemistry while talking about a pretty heavy subject with care, these are some fun ideas such as fake courtrooms, or talking to "God" that end up half baked in the end. There's a minor emergency sequence that does a great job showing not telling how serious our main character's condition is. The main problem is it takes 30 minutes to bring up soapbox racing, which should be the central plot of the movie. I almost turned it off at 25 minutes because nothing was moving forward. I would have also trusted the actors to convey a little more, for example there's a part where our main character is narrating "I wish I had a trophy like my brother" when a jealous look would have probably communicated the same thing. The ending is predictable but still good! I wouldn't watch this if you don't have the nostalgia tinted lenses.

Justin Yoder (Frankie Muniz) wants desperately to win a trophy. He wants to compete, to succeed, to win. One problem. Justin is in a wheelchair.

While his disability has hampered him for years, Justin finally finds something that he can do--soapbox derbies. After talking his parents into it, he launches into a whole new stage of his life, finding that he is good at something, and he might even have a chance at a trophy.

This movie caught my eye one day a little over a year ago on the Disney channel. I watch 'Malcolm in the Middle' and quickly recognized Frankie Muniz. However, it was not him I came away loving, it was Patrick Levis. Patrick plays Seth Yoder, Justin's older brother. I have a brother of my own with a disability, so I understood every single one of Seth's feelings and frustrations. The scene in which Seth breaks down and spills his feelings to his father was especially poignant. Thank you, Patrick, for such a beautiful and understanding performance. This movie is careful not to deny the truths of being a sibling to someone with a disability--a rare and wonderful thing for films.

All in all, a magnificent piece of work, especially for a made-for-TV movie.

This was a great family-oriented movie. The only criticism I have is regarding the "God" sequences. They were stupid. They added nothing to the film, and, in fact, detracted a great deal from it. The very last scene of the movie (the angles-in-wheelchairs) should have been cut out completely. It left a very bad taste. Otherwise, a great film!

Enjoyed the movie and the message. Didn't realize it was Malcolm's Frankie Muniz at first, but thought that he did a pretty good and convincing acting job anyway. The cast seemed to have pretty good rapport with one another, and you are never bored at all as the story progresses. A good one for the family to enjoy.