8 jours pour mon fils

7.5 stars.

Whether they took too many liberties or whatever, I still was semi-thrilled by the suspense and missing person vibe throughout the film. It's really about a family who is not getting along for some reason. It appears to be the father who is somewhat of a deadbeat, he had a major injury while performing manual labor for his job, but it's not totally clear at first. He's been unemployed for a while now and his kids are suffering for it. So he's trying to get a job while his wife and kids are doing their thing. But the film is not about the dad, I only talk of him because he's the reason they are all so sullen and lost. The mom is the main character, she's a great actress, I've always loved her, on the "OC", she was totally the best, but I know the actress herself had some issues back in the day, haven't seen her much, if ever, in the past 17 years. I just looked up shows she was in. Did you know she was in a show called "Perception" about 8 years back? Look at the cast, wow that's a bunch of very familiar actors. I might have to look into it.

Anyways, the boy who gets lost, we have no idea how or why he was lost, but his journey is an intriguing one and as we watch the puzzle pieces coming together, it's an entertaining ride (even if not the intent). I won't spoil it by telling you if he lives or dies.

I probably saw this 15 years ago, just don't remember it, but all the actors are familiar to me. It's a basic story, but for a minimum budget production and some decent search and rescue low-key action, it works.

I don't think the story itself was that remarkable, so they had little choice but to pad it out. Unfortunately, it drifted off into so much fiction, it left little but the main concept (boy stranded for 8 days) of the actual story.

In response to the other reviewer who said the weather was warm there, it dropped to 2C (nearly freezing) at night, according to the CBC news account.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2001/05/30/bcteen_010530.html

I would like to have seen more of young man's struggles during this time. The bears and wildlife would have been an interesting element to add.

I am giving this movie a 7 out of 10 because of its very real portrayal of our Canadian RCMP and Police systems and how they respond when a person goes missing. This portrayal is exactly how it happens and so real it is eerie. The fact that Joe is nineteen, a teenager and male is also a big factor in the reaction to his being missing. The Mother in the movie with the hair in her face, this is just for effect. The family would never be allowed to search with Search and Rescue as they are not trained. A boy showing up in the middle of the road, very out of place and why?. Drugs and young girl on face book very believable and possible though not in this case. I have a son that is missing and never been found. He also travelled in the PG area though that is not where he is missing. It has been extremely difficult and painstakingly slow over the years to get the RCMP and police to follow up on my missing son. It is exactly what this family went through for the week extended over years. I was very grateful that Joe lived. The helicopter pilot in real life would never have gone up in the air against orders. In real life the Mother would never be allowed to touch Joe at the accident scene as in the case of another scenario she would contaminate evidence. my real life opinion e

At the start of this fact-based story, a group of young people are racing on a curvy highway, with loud music playing. Someone sees cops, and the whole group scatters. 19-year-old Joe is not supposed to be driving (though that didn't stop him from racing).

Joe finds out he is getting his driver's license back. This is an opportunity to go to a party at his friend Evan's house. He will have to drive all night, but he promises to keep in touch and to return home by Monday. One problem: his girlfriend Patti, who he works with at a grocery store, wants him to spend the night while her parents are away. And not only does he gets a late start, Joe does leave his cell phone at Patti's house.

Our first clue something is wrong: Joe nearly hits a boy standing in the road. He gives the boy a ride, and then we don't hear anything from him for a while.

Joe's parents Teresa and Tim get a call in the middle of the night. Evan sounds high, but he knows Joe never showed up.

Teresa goes to the cops but they don't think it's time to declare Joe missing. After all, he said he'd be back Monday. Teresa then takes the day off work to go search for Joe; she does know he has an online friend Lucinda in a distant town called Chasm. Tim has been out of work, so when he gets a job interview, that has to take priority (he's not that worried yet). Joe's teenage sister Becca is pleased to get a day off from school, and she goes with her mother and provides comic relief. Joe's brother Will stays home in case there is any news.

Lucinda doesn't seem to know anything, but we get to see ominous flashbacks suggesting she knows more than she is telling.

Teresa and the family put up flyers and get the press involved. The police reluctantly start searching. We find out information about Joe very gradually (mostly through more ominous flashbacks), and so do those searching. If Joe is really lying beside the road, one person says he has eight days to live. So just in case, someone had better get to work.

At first, I wouldn't have said there was anything particularly distinctive about this movie. But as the search really gets under way, probably halfway through the movie, there is much more suspense and excitement.

Michael Eklund, who reminds me of a character Brad Pitt once played (at least I think that's right), gives the standout acting performance, though that's not really saying much. Weaver is a drug dealer and Lucinda's boyfriend; he seems pretty messed up.

The actors playing a couple of the cops are also quite good, at least for this movie. And while Kelly Rowan seems merely ordinary most of the time, I have to admit she had a couple of heartbreaking scenes. She must have called on a real tragedy or personal loss in her life.

There is one moment that isn't a sign of quality, but rather a familiar cliché. Anyone who hates the behavior of the press in these situations should be happy. One vulture, not worthy of being called a journalist, asks Will a completely inappropriate question. The man should get out of the news business and go into reality TV. Will's reaction is enjoyable.

This was satisfying, eventually.

This is a pretty good movie. It has a good story and good acting. It's based on a true story a son, Joe Spring, who goes missing after he doesn't return home when he said he would. His mother, Teresa Spring(Kelly Rowan from Fox's "The OC") learns that he never made it to the party he said he was going to, so she goes searching for him.

It's a different kind of movie, the kind that can teach you stuff. I think it was good because it's a Lifetime movie and they usually turn out pretty good. Next time this movie's on, I suggest watching it. I know I will. I think it can teach parents to always make sure you know where you're kids are because you never know if you will see them again.