La tête dans les nuages

The Boy Who Could Fly is one of those rare family films that mixes just a touch of fantasy with a truly down-to-Earth dramatic story.

Following the death of Bedelia's husband, she moves her family into a new neighborhood next door to an autistic young man (Underwood). Deakins gains interest in Underwood's silent world of thought while attempting to keep things stable at home. Unusual things begin to happen around Underwood. While life seemingly falls apart for her family, Deakins and the audience are irresistably drawn into Underwood's world and we begin to question if his apparent dream to fly isn't more than just a fantasy. The acting in this film is superb, especially silent Underwood who conveys more thought and emotion with his eyes, face and body than the actors who speak. Bruce Broughton's melodious score is heartwarming and delivers full enchantment for the "flying?" scenes. (The main theme is so enchanting, the Walt Disney company has used it to open every film at their El Capitan theater in Hollywood, CA). This is a wonderful film for the entire family. Slight warning: for families that have recently lost a parent, it would be a good idea for the other parent to watch with the kiddies. And although they may find themselves dealing with the emotion of their trauma, they should feel much better when the film ends.

I'm so tired of modern family movies full of fart jokes or movies where teenagers make love to pastries and it's supposed to be funny and then they staple on some superficial message at the end in an attempt to be poignant and balance out all the trash that came before. Every other week we are tortured with some nonsense of this calibre and whenever I wish for a movie that stands out from the crowd I have to go back in time and consider some overlooked gem. The Boy Who Could Fly is exactly that.

The characters seem so real and their emotions genuine, it builds at a slow pace but it never gets boring and story development is consistent. This is not a ferociously loud summer crowd-pleaser or something bloated with pointless SFX. Very few movies have the power to make a whole story out of characters and situation alone without feeling the need for some ridiculous set piece or blaring thrash metal guitars.

In fact Bruce Broughton's score is the wonderful opposite of that. The performances, especially the two leads, are flawless and the direction is far more refined than the typical. Everything in this movie comes together perfectly to make a film so unique and charming. If you have lost your faith in the current dreck that graces our screens and if you want a family movie with some meaning and subtext then check this out. And keep an eye out for director John Carpenter as on of the Coupe De Villes.

The DVD is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and in Dolby 2.0. It has an introduction by Jay Underwood and director Nick (Michael Myers) Castle, they also feature in a commentary with Lucy Deakins and Fred Savage.

Sappy? Yeah, I guess at times… but this also mostly earns its big heart, and treats early teens with more far dignity and insight than most films.

Lucy Deakins is terrific as an intelligent, thoughtful 14 year old, who slowly grows to care for the autistic boy next door. He doesn't speak, but dreams only of flying away, a condition brought on by the deaths of his parents in a plane crash years before. Now he's in the care of an alcoholic uncle (the always wonderful Fred Gwynne), and the powers that be think he might be better off being institutionalized.

Almost all the acting is top notch, which is crucial in this character based story. Jay Underwood walks various fine lines as the titular boy, named Eric. By turns mysterious, locked in, charming he seems believable as an emotionally isolated adolescent as well as a possible source of magic. Colleen Dewhurst doesn't have a lot of screen time, but makes something rich and real out of a concerned teacher who doesn't want to see Eric locked away, knowing it will kill his spirit. And Bonnie Bedelia makes a touching warm and understanding widowed mom.

There are some scenes where the comic relief is more than a little forced, and a sub-plot about a little brother taking on neighborhood bullies seems grafted on from a far more Disney-ish film. But this Capra-esque gentle, bittersweet fantasy is a great 1980s film for tweens even today, and not a bad one for adults as well.

Back in the late 1980's, Jay Underwood was a teenaged boy who had a short lived starring career in films. He made his starring debut in this 1986 Lorimar release which could've been a major star making vehicle if its theatrical response was more profitable. Time has served it well and it now stands as a family favorite from the 1980's. Underwood portrays a boy who isolates himself from society after his parents die in a plane crash. He stays in his house all day long and pretends to be in a land where he can fly. Lucy Deakins portrays a teenaged girl who feels sorry for Underwood and tries to help him fit in. Somewhat sappy at times but otherwise genuinely touching. Film is also notable for serving as the debut performance of Fred Savage, the star of the TV series "The Wonder Years."

Milly Michaelson (Lucy Deakins), her little brother Louis (Fred Savage) and mother Charlene (Bonnie Bedelia) move into their new home. She gets a new friend in pushy Geneva Goodman (Mindy Cohn) while Louis gets bullied by Geneva's brother and his friends. Charlene has a difficult time to start anew after losing her husband. Eric Gibb (Jay Underwood) is a mysterious mute boy living in the room facing Milly. His drunken uncle Hugo (Fred Gwynne) is his guardian. People think Eric is autistic. He started to believe that he could fly at 5 when his parents died in a plane crash. Milly wonders if he could truly fly. Their teacher Mrs. Sherman (Colleen Dewhurst) works to keep him from being institutionalized with Milly's help.

It's a wonderful sensitive film that is good for the whole family. Lucy Deakins is endearing and sweet. There is a gentle magic about the movie. It's very romantic in the simple childlike way and also surprisingly funny. The family drama is poignant. It's a live action fairy tale.