Thanks for the memories!

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

From the very start of the movie, I was completely indulged in the story. I felt as though I was a member of the Odone family. The story was perfectly paced and kept the viewer constantly engaged in all that was taking place. The movie did a great job making you, the viewer, feel as though you were in the given situations, both good and bad.The acting in this film was outstanding. Both Sarandon and Nolte were incredible. The love they showed for their son, Lorenzo, was special. I found the acting of young Lorenzo, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, to be especially superb. To be given the task of playing a boy with ALD cannot be easy and he portrayed it effortlessly at such a young age. This film has moments of joy and moments that pull at your heartstrings. It is a movie that everyone should see within their lifetime because it is truly inspirational and powerful! I have tremendous amounts of respect for the real Odone family.

OK so this is my first time writing a review. I have recently noticed a huge amount of overly high ratings on the formerly reliable IMDb. For this reason I think that more reviews and ratings are needed to rectify this :/ I chose this movie with high hopes and hoped it would be like many of the inspiring greats from before the 2000's. I looked beyond the average rating of 7.2 and wondered if the story wasn't perfect perhaps the acting would be. From the beginning I was drawn in, but confused...the native with the knife...looks strange..is there more to this film than a disease and hope? Was the child cursed or something? OK I knew that wasn't going to be the case because I looked up the true story beforehand. Anyway, the native turned out to be lovely... I thought I was in for an emotional journey with this one..not so much.. It ain't nice to say but Lorenzos' crying noise was basically Tommy from Rugrats...over and over..which was distracting to say the least. Also, I know this is true but it seemed annoyingly unbelievable so I started to zone out...Noltes as the father was believable in his acting but having a dream with the solution? Much too dramatic...the white-board and extensive reading though, very believable, the urgency and desperation is admirable in the extensive research and you can see they are on the verge of a breakthrough...not with a helpful dream though.. annoying. Sarandon is great as always, wide-eyed with fear and fury. She is the perfect hopeful, desperate and adoring mother and you can't help but admire her strength and determination. However, the performance was just as I predicted it would be. That's not a bad thing...but not spectacular either. I would like to rate it 7.3, you will not be let down, but also will not feel uplifted either. The .3 is for the acting.

Really one moving film. About a family who's only child, named Lorenzo suffered a rare disease. As the doctors and medical field after all has failed them. Decides to invent their own miracle. Hence the title.As we see the angst, sadness, and why me of Lorenzo's parents, played by Nick Nolte with an Italian accent and Susan Sarandon. It is Sarandon's Michaela who really suffers the most. As she refuses to leave his son.As Nolte's character a wealthy banker must fund the project. Despite everybody turning him down. For the record, Michaela dies in 2000 and after being told he would die in childhood, Lorenzo would succumb to his own disease eight years later.Still a moving movie and yes, get the tissues out!

Emotionally harrowing film of a dedicated and persistent couples struggle to find help for their son when he falls victim to a terminal illness. Their single minded quest to find if not a solution at least something to relieve their child's suffering is inspiring.Intensely real performance by Susan Sarandon and a strong one from Nick Nolte although his accent while accurate for the character makes it difficult to understand him occasionally. Beautifully true supporting performances from Peter Ustinov. Margo Martindale and others but it is hard to watch what Lorenzo has to go through. A shattering experience at times but worthwhile.