Secondhand Lions

This is largely a kid's film, but in the best sense, in that it isn't full of juvenile humor about failing bodily functions, nor is it demeaning to the elderly, even though both its stars are well over sixty; it's a joyful, optimistic and largely predictable romp about the relationship that can develop between the old and the young.

When Haley Joel Osment's Mother drops him off to stay for a while with two old curmudgeons, a perceptive viewer can probably guess what happens next--but that knowledge doesn't detract from the fun-it's like a great fairy tale that you want to have told to you again, a sentimental rural fable rich with the kind of things kids (and many adults) like--lions that can be tamed, monoplanes that can be built, and worthwhile lessons that can be learned. Nobody farts, nobody says the "f" word, and nobody drops their pants--it's actually funny because its humor springs from the considerable well-honed talents of acting treasures Michael Caine and Robert Duvall and from a well-written kid's story--with adults welcome to come along for the ride.