I can't expect all movies to be like this one, nor would I want them all to be. Variety is good. On one end of the spectrum, there are the flashy, big-budget, action-packed films with iconic characters and unrelenting snappy dialogue. On the other end of the spectrum there are films like this one ... stories about ordinary people (albeit in extraordinary circumstances). With some notable exceptions, the characters interact with each other like normal people do: with some humor, with warmth, with disappointment, with anger, and with self-doubt and a desire to deal with life in the best way they know how.
This is a story about a family (father, mother, teenage son Chris) dealing with the loss of a loved one while on a family outing to a regular vacation spot: in this case, a daughter perhaps four or five years old. The daughter, Molly, disappears by a riverside while she was supposed to be supervised by her older brother Chris (who had fallen asleep while the parents went for a walk). The only sign of the girl is her coloring book floating in the river and she is presumed drowned ... "presumed" because a search-and-rescue diver fails to find her body in the deep waters and swift current of the river. The father and mother have -- with much difficulty -- learned to deal with the tragedy and have decided to move on with their lives. Chris is in just as much grief, but stumbles upon something that leads him to believe that his sister Molly did not drown in the river but was instead kidnapped.
Is Chris just feeling guilty because Molly disappeared while she was supposed to be under his care? Is he so desperate to absolve himself that he is willing to latch onto any thin thread of hope that his sister is really still alive? His parents discourage him from investigating further and feel that he should just move forward with his life as they have. But Chris' best friend Pat -- who has domestic problems of his own and deals with reality by taking risks and telling good-natured lies -- convinces Chris to see the investigation through.
Some parts of this movie are rather far-fetched (especially late in the film when a certain character pursues a station wagon while riding a bicycle and stays on the chase far longer than can be credibly believed), but such flaws can be overlooked.
Overall, this is a story well told about friendship and family. No matter how the mystery plays out, the relationships between Chris and his best friend, and between Chris and his parents are believable and well-acted. Megan Follows of "Anne of Green Gables" fame turns in a nice performance as a sympathetic waitress serving as a bridge between Chris and a skeptical County Sheriff who believes Chris is up to no good as Chris sneaks around with his friend Pat in their search for Molly.
Intended as a cautionary tale about parents keeping their children safe (and including as an extra on the DVD a message directed at children about how to STAY safe), this well-intentioned drama has suspense, mystery, and steady pacing to recommend it.
