Have Dreams, Will Travel

In the 60's, in West Texas, twelve year-old Ben (Cayden Boyd) is a boy neglected by his parents. His mother (Lara Flynn Boyle) is obsessed by the movie stars of Hollywood and every afternoon she goes to the movie theater, while his father spends his spare time building a boat. One night, there is a car wreck in front of Ben's parents dining where only the girl Cassie (AnnaSophia Robb) survives with a broken arm. Ben's parents lodges Cassie during her recovery and she becomes friend of Ben. Later the mature girl convinces Ben to travel with her to Baltimore, where her modern and liberal aunt (Heather Graham) and uncle (Dylan McDermott) live. They hitchhike through Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia in a journey of friendship and discoveries until they reach Baltimore. Their adventure ends when Cassie has a breakdown and is interned in the Mercy Psychiatric Ward in Virginia and Ben joins the Military Academy in North Caroline to stay close to Cassie. But the girl had a plan for them and Ben gives his best effort to make her dream come true.

One of these days I saw the trailer of "Have Dreams, Will Travel" and I liked it so much that I bought the DVD. I have just watched this sweet and touching road movie and I really loved the story, the screenplay, the performances and the direction. I do not know whether it is intentional or not, but there are many scenes of the camera against the light creating dark images that I did not like. AnnaSophia Robb is amazing, with another awesome performance in a complex role. Cayden Boyd is also fantastic in the difficult role of Ben. Val Kilmer has a minor participation, but I believe this is his best interpretation and role in the last years. The secret of Cassie is a heartbreaking moment in the plot and the conclusion is very beautiful. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Em Busca da Felicidade" ("Searching Happiness")

This is a story you won't expect or even predict. It's totally a, "you have to watch" kind of movies. It's touching, true, and a little sad. The whole movie is so great you can't stop in the middle. It is definitely NOT for kids, it's a adult film for sure. Definitely a must see!

"Have Dreams, Will Travel" is a quirky sort of movie, full of little eccentricities and minor faults that make up its personality. Writer/director Brad Isaacs is not overly ambitious, probably quite aware of his limitations as a first-time director. He has structured what amounts to the filmed equivalent of a short story, very economical and specific.

The star of this film is Cayden Boyd, who plays Ben - a kid who tends to disappear into the shadows. His lack of identity seems to be polar opposite to Cassie (AnnaSophia Robb). Ben lives at a diner with his boat-obsessed father and his movie-obsessed mom. One rainy night, there is a terrible car wreck outside the diner, and the only survivor is young Cassie. After she is nursed back to health, Cassie decides that she and Ben would be best off to hit the road and head east.

That's the basic set-up for the film, which is largely a road trip. They meet many interesting characters on the way to Baltimore, one of the most so who is played by Val Kilmer. His role in this film is only slightly more significant than his appearance in "The Missing", but he is quite excellent as a depressed pig farmer. Stephen Root is very good as an interfering sheriff character.

Although somewhat lightweight at the beginning, "Have Dreams, Will Travel" proves itself to be a far deeper (and darker) film than it first appears to be. In fact, it turns out to be not quite the kids you might assume it is. Perhaps that makes it a little schizophrenic, but it works quite well in this case. Overall, this film is individual and original enough to be more than worth the watch. It has a certain quality that feels strange yet heartwarming. Robb and Boyd give their very best performances in two quite difficult roles, and more than make the film what it is.

RATING: 7.5 out of 10

It's one of those serendipitous moments in life when you stumble upon a work of genius. Such a moment happened to me today as this film found its way onto my screen. I had no expectations, no preconceptions, and no idea what to expect, and I have to say I was utterly blown away.

This is one of those films that could never be simply described. An ultimately dark story of true companionship. Love definitely plays an essential part, but I think "Love story" gives the wrong impression. It is the adventure of two children, traveling through America and their childhood alike, dealing with an unfair handful or hurdles and hardships. The direction is impeccable, and allows the gifted young actors to excel to their full potential. Everything in this film is meticulously brilliant, and so refreshingly intelligent. It's unusual these days to find a film that doesn't patronize its audience. It is almost poetic in the way it gives as few words as possible. Some people may find this slow and boring, but these are people who fail to see between the lines, where the true story lies.

A film both heartwarming and heart-wrenching that will sharpen your braincells, moisten your cheeks, and really make you think about yourself and the life you lead.

The story stretches between a girl & a boy alongside facing life's forthgivings. The cast, story-line and emotional attachments to the characters are mag magnified and well filled.

Unpopular opinion; Feels somewhat like bridge to terabithia..2! Why anna sophia robb keep appering in these kinda stories, gosh.