My own note: * The review does not contain outright spoilers, but there's enough spoiler material to mark it as such, because of a telling reference in the last paragraph. *
I only just happened to see this film -- luckily, not in its entirety and I wonder if it's my adult age or many-many boring kiddie films that I have come to generally dislike this genre (with many exceptions, such as "Mrs. Doubtfire").
"Made for TV" usually says it all: boring acting and actors, directing and execution, character conflict that is not believable, the plot changes very slowly and/or the film's pace is slow as molasses. Adding to that is the fact that the plot setting takes place in a very comfy-comfy suburban environment which is quite specific to North America.
In this day and age of knowing how most films end in a satisfactory manner, and while this suburbanite milieu may serve well some other films and series ("Desperate Housewives" being a great example), in here it seemed to make a notable disservice, adding to the TV-watching boredom.
Before writing my review, I learned from here that there was a way better book published on the subject matter. I thought then, that the paper publication had to be better. I guess the idea was heavily watered down by decision-makers.
This film aired May Day (01.05.), which is a national Spring Holiday in Estonia. It was given a late morning time-slot that seems suitable for small kids.
I couldn't care to watch it till the end, so I changed channels to watch a better-rated "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron", which is also a kiddie-film, but more watchable. Alas, there was nothing better to watch anyway, so I finally switched the TV set off. Of other kiddie-films, "Baby Geniuses" was also better than what this review is about.
I remembered a 1980's film about a chimpanzee who could also speak sign language and who was also befriended by a kid (the kid was notably older and not a small child anymore) and the film was about many chimpanzees and about experiments to be done to them... Of course, that ended well, too, but I just can't remember that film's title.
I only just happened to see this film -- luckily, not in its entirety and I wonder if it's my adult age or many-many boring kiddie films that I have come to generally dislike this genre (with many exceptions, such as "Mrs. Doubtfire").
"Made for TV" usually says it all: boring acting and actors, directing and execution, character conflict that is not believable, the plot changes very slowly and/or the film's pace is slow as molasses. Adding to that is the fact that the plot setting takes place in a very comfy-comfy suburban environment which is quite specific to North America.
In this day and age of knowing how most films end in a satisfactory manner, and while this suburbanite milieu may serve well some other films and series ("Desperate Housewives" being a great example), in here it seemed to make a notable disservice, adding to the TV-watching boredom.
Before writing my review, I learned from here that there was a way better book published on the subject matter. I thought then, that the paper publication had to be better. I guess the idea was heavily watered down by decision-makers.
This film aired May Day (01.05.), which is a national Spring Holiday in Estonia. It was given a late morning time-slot that seems suitable for small kids.
I couldn't care to watch it till the end, so I changed channels to watch a better-rated "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron", which is also a kiddie-film, but more watchable. Alas, there was nothing better to watch anyway, so I finally switched the TV set off. Of other kiddie-films, "Baby Geniuses" was also better than what this review is about.
I remembered a 1980's film about a chimpanzee who could also speak sign language and who was also befriended by a kid (the kid was notably older and not a small child anymore) and the film was about many chimpanzees and about experiments to be done to them... Of course, that ended well, too, but I just can't remember that film's title.