La rebelle et la magicienne

Forget the old showbiz adage about never working with kids or animals. For this charming little film, veteran performer Rhea Perlman forms a perfect team with rubber-faced newcomer (and future star) Miya Cech. The end result is a coming of age story that holds the attention.

Quite a waste calling this film predictable. Like calling James Bond films 'predictable.' The ensemble cast did a great job in this small budget film that examines one teen's grief based destructive path angst. Then, to our viewer delight we have the arrival of Rhea Perlman the 'magician' and the real star of the film Sebastian the rabbit. The look and feel of a well made low budget indie film with a big dose of feel good angst resolution!

I think someone categorized this movie's genre wrong. It's not a comedy, it's a comedy family drama. Emphasize on drama. The start was pretty slow, grim and agonizing. It's totally unlikable. So if you want to see the good parts, you're gonna have to grin and bear through that part of the movie. But it's totally worth it, cause even if it's heartbreaking at first, the ending is not. This movie is a lot like love. You can't get the good parts without going through the bad ones as well.

Marvelous and the Black Hole is adorable. A teenage delinquent teams up with a surly children's party magician to navigate her dysfunctional family and inner demons. Miya Cech and Rhea Perlman make a great duo. The story is very simple and easy to follow. This is a casual watch that young teens will fall for. The focus on the childlike nature is good and works well for the story. Sometimes it felt a little too childish, especially towards the end when it deals with heavier subjects. The tone could've been worked out a bit better, but it's still fun. This feels like something that will go to Netflix for people of all ages to enjoy.

Sammy (Miya Cech) is a troubled girl in school. She's a rebel with cause. She is struggling from her beloved mother's death and her father (Leonardo Nam) having a new girlfriend. He's threatening her with military school and sends her to community college. She is uninterested in the class. She is befriended by Sammy (Rhea Perlman), a children's magician.

I like the emotional story. Sammy's age confused me for most of this movie. First, she looks like a kid and I assumed that she's a young high schooler. Next thing I know, she's smoking and attending community college in a class with a bunch of adults. Then again, the military school threat only works if she's a minor. It's all a jumbo. The movie needs to do a quick exposition. Her father can list her failings in short order and that would be enough to lay out her story. Quite frankly, her birthday surprised me a little. It would be helpful to know that her character is that young. I like the young actress and Rhea Perlman. I like the emotions of their stories.