Milton's Secret

A good topic but lacking in dramatization. Donald Sutherland is good as the sympathetic grandfather.

This is not your "normal" Hollywood movie or even drama. Although the obvious theme is bullying - which is very important - the real star of this film is Wisdom.

If it is possible to return to time honored traditions of family, love, loyalty and trust this movie allows us to experience these values once again.

Based on the work of Eckhart Tolle but using philosophy judiciously as the icing on the cake, this film allows for the wisdom of an elder to seep into a modern family and realign their priorities.

Terrific family movie and one that the family can discuss for hours around the dinner table - as opposed to viewing their "apps".

"Milton's Secret" is a frustrating film. The characters are good and the acting very good. Yet despite this and a lot of promise, the story just fell apart at the end...leaving me very confused and annoyed.

Miiton is a nice 11 year-old boy who, unfortunately, is being bullied. The film did a good job of showing where the bullying is coming from...as the bully comes from a violent and abusive family. However, it really doesn't take the bullying very seriously and by the end of the story, Milton empathizes with the bully and is nice to him...and somehow everything is good with the world.

As a trained psychotherapist and teacher, I appreciate how the film shows that bullying is often generational. A parent abuses their child and the child, in turn, bullies his peers. But what I take exception with are simplistic answers...and in the case of the film it seems to be to be nice to the bully and teach him to breath when he is nervous. Yes,...I am sure that will work (sarcasm intended).

Overall, a story with a lot of pluses...but one that just seems too simplistic and silly at the end. I noticed that other reviewers mostly hated or loved the film...and I'm one who is kind of in the middle....or close to it.

Bullying is a good topic to address but with the way things are in the world it's just gonna get worse. If people would actually listen to the advice in this movie and put down their cell phones, and really talk to one another we might just make some progress, instead of regressing.

Milton Adams is a meek 11 year old boy. Ms. Ferguson (Michelle Rodriguez) is his teacher. His parents (David Sutcliffe, Mia Kirshner) are struggling with personal and money issues. His grandpa Howard (Donald Sutherland) comes for a visit. Milton gets bullied by angry classmate Carter Crane who has an angry father.

The bullying gets really stressful. I like the movie more when it has no easy solutions. That's why I find Howard's self-help guru a bit annoying. I don't mind the attempt but it needs more development. The final bathroom scene is another interesting attempt but it does come off a bit too simplistic. Maybe Howard would face one or two tough hurdles himself. This has such a tough subject matter and the solution feels rather too simple. Some of the self-help talk may have lost a bit translating from the page.