Delivering Milo

While I don't have time to go into the detail that the previous reviewer provided, I have a completely different take on "Delivering Milo." I enjoyed the film as did my children and I believe it will generate plenty of word of mouth recommendations and have a strong life in video. It is a melodrama but, hey, Stephen King calls "The Green Mile" a melodrama. Albert Finney does a great job as the n'er-do-well from Limbo and Bridget Fonda never looked more beautiful as a nine-months-pregnant woman. The supporting cast is great.

If one goes into this film knowing the plot and then complains that the concept is ridiculous, I would have to question that person's sanity. This is a fantasy; anyone taking it seriously lives in more of a fantasy world than this film.

That said, does the film deliver? Acting: excellent all the way around; all of the actors deliver. Filming, music, sound, everything his fine.

The problem is with the writing and subsequent directing. This film had a basic purpose, that purpose was well-established from the very beginning. But beyond that much of the presentation feels two-dimensional, without really getting down to the heart of the issues. The use of card reading as a major plot tool was a let-down. Instead of establishing solid, good reasons for the finale they resort to a rather lame plot device.

There is one moment in the film where an emotional connection is made. Beyond that, while the characters were enjoyable and Finney was certainly a delight to watch, the entire film misses the personal, emotional connections that were essential to a film of this nature. In short, the director was so busy taking Milo (and the audience) on a sight-seeing tour, they regularly missed the heart of the story. They tried to make up for that in the end in the diner, but still didn't quite hit the target.

This is one of those "could have been good" films, and probably one of the rare films that was 1 1/2 hours long and could have stood to be 2 hours, with more personal interaction and heart in the concept. As it is, while I enjoyed watching it, the end left me feeling somewhat let down and disappointed. They could have done better with the plot elements... and should have.

"Delivering Milo" delivered big time! Albert Finney shines as the "guardian angel" sent down to Earth to (so he thinks) help "some kid" see within a 24 hour day that the life the kid was about to begin would be worth living. Refusing to "be born" would not only end the kid's life, but also that of all babies who were to be born henceforth.

The premise is even more outrageous than that certain 1946 Frank Capra "sleeper", but I still enjoyed this film very much. Seeing the "man-about-town" Finney character enjoy his "day back on his own turf", constantly loored by temting women from his past, is fun to watch. When at the very end Finney gives up on the kid who seems to have made up his mind NOT to "go for the deal", the old man (and the kid) make a discovery that changes everything.

Regarding those who criticised the casting choices of the "Heavenly Officials", I strongly disagree here as well. I found the fact that these characters were all played by youngsters refreshing and effective. Why do we always look for the Lionel Barrymoore type to give sound advise or direction? Why can't a 16 year old have something brilliant to add to a plan?

I have seen many films, and a few of them receive 10 out of 10 points on the scale. This is one of them! 10/10

I saw this movie just a few hours ago at the Cleveland International Film Festival and I found it to be an excellent movie.

I must strongly disagree with the other reviewers who've panned the movie.

I'll admit that the movie has a few Hollywood elements and better-than-indie production values. It also has an understated, but important, plot element that involves religion. It's also sentimental, it could be classified as a date movie or even a "family movie."

This is a wonderful movie about freedom and redemption. I found it well-crafted, well-acted (Albert Finney is just terrific) and for a movie with a bit of fantasy, very much believable on that level with few plot holes. Yes, you just might figure out a few things half or three-quarters of the way thru the flick, but so what.

I would urge anyone thinking about seeing this movie to reject the too-critical reviews. It's not a Coppola flick and it doesn't pretend to be. But it's not "Ghost" either. This movie delivers what it promises - a good yarn, told, acted and directed well.

On a slightly peripheral note, I see that this movie, finished in 2000, has yet to find a distributor. This movie would be a winner at the box office. I'm not a moviemaker, but I have a few friends who are. I've heard them complain about not being able to find distributors for their very indie movies. NOW I understand.

Want to just have a nice, enjoyable evening out at the movies? Then go see Milo.

its beauty seems be an old fashion one. and this does it special. because it is one of films who looking for values in convincing way. and, for an admirer of Anton Yelchin, like me, it is a kind of refuge. for the others, I suppose, it is a great film for admirable performances, for a story sweet-bitter, for Bridget Fonda performance and for Albert Finney proposing a real provocative perspective about duty of an angel and the virtues of friendship. so, a real, real beautiful film. with entire classic potential.