Millions

'Millions' was a film that, in the wrong hands, could have turned into a saccharine dumbed-down mess that only appeals to under eights. However, thankfully, it avoided that trap and the result was an under-rated little gem about the goodness and innocence of the very young.

The film sees a bag of money fall from the sky and land on the playhouse of five-year-old Damian, a motherless child who is pure-hearted and a firm believer in God. The little boy believes the money came from God, unaware it was stolen by a gang who seize the chance to steal from money due to be incinerated in the days before the UK is due to switch currency from pounds to Euros (yes, now we all know it's a film since it will be a cold day in hell before that happens! But I digress...). While Damian has many good intentions for the money, determined to help the poor and less fortunate, his eyes are sadly opened up to the greed in the world when he sees how it changes those around him, including his father and nine-year-old brother Anthony.

Alexander Nathan Etel, who played Damian, was excellent as this wide-eyed, sweet-natured child. He carried the story and gave the film the heart it needed to be successful. He was well-supported by Lewis Owen McGibbon, as the more streetwise and business-minded Anthony, and James Nesbitt, who was in the role of the boys' loving, if rather stressed, father Ronnie.

'Millions' is a thought-provoking film about how many young children see the world so differently from their 'greedier' and less considerate elders. It touches upon a child's feelings of bereavement and grief at the loss of their innocence as well as religion without the need to preach to the audience. The script also refuses to condescend down to small children and instead it's told in a manner that would appeal to a wide audience age range.

This is definitely a film for those seeking something family-orientated and heart-warming without being cavity-inducing. It's just a shame it never received more recognition since it has a unique and enjoyable story.

This magical, phantasmagorial feel-good movie really ought not to work but it does, and beautifully. It's certainly Danny Boyle's best film since "Trainspotting". Alex Etel and Lewis McGibbon are the children whose discovery of a bag of money from a, not the, great train robbery has a somewhat traumatic effect on their somewhat humdrum lives. At first it's a case of spend, spend, spend, certainly by the older boy, Anthony, or give, give, give in the case of Damian, the younger one whose sleeping and waking moments are filled with visions of the saints. Their foolhardy behaviour soon draws the attention of both the authorities and one of the villains and their problems are further exacerbated by the fact that they only have a few days to get rid of the lolly before Britain converts to the Euro.

This is a sweet movie but it isn't a cloying one. At its centre is a truly wonderful performance from Alex Etel as Damian, acting as if he believed every minute of it, (and banishing our doubts in the process). It helps, too, that the film has a very solid script by Frank Cottrell Boyce that blends fantasy and realism so seamlessly. It's funny and it's moving and the old chestnut of the dead mother paying one last visit to her children is handled without sentimentality. A credit to all concerned.

This is one of the best films I have seen in recent years. Unfortunately not too many people have seen it. Hopefully good word of mouth will gain a wider audience.

Although it stars two child actors, Millions is not a "kids" movie, but can be entertaining and meaningful for all ages. Although the Catholic religious imagery plays a significant role, I would not call this a religious film. As the characters are Catholic, their religion provides their reference point for morality.

This film has humor and mystery, and is quite touching as well. There are some striking visual images. Plus it makes you think. Basically it asks the question: "What does it mean to live a 'good' life?"

Cash virtually falling from the sky has been a staple of moralized tales at least from Chaucer, whose Pardoner's Tale tells of men looking for wealth only to find death. So too for John Huston's Treasure of Sierra Madre, the best of the lot for sheer power of greed backed up with uncommonly good acting by Humphrey Bogart and Walter Huston. A few years ago the Burton sisters directed Manna from Heaven using older actors such as Cloris Leachman and Shirley Jones to tell of dollars from God, elderly greed, and a nun with other ideas. More recently, money again from the sky fatally changes three ordinary men in Sam Raimi's A Simple Plan.

Along comes Millions, a delightful British entry with a new twist: Kids find the money, argue about the best way to spend it, and finally get the help of adults to dispose of it. Unlike most greedy types, who eventually suffer the consequences through lame goddess Nemesis, the two brothers are not at the larcenous stage. They simply have different philosophies: Damian wants to give it to the poor; his older brother, Anthony, prefers fiscal responsibility, which does not feature giving away the money. Along the way they learn about the responsibility that sticks inextricably to every note, which they must cash in quickly before the pound is changed into the euro.

Danny Boyle's eclectic imagination has Alex obsessed with the saints, who appear to him regularly in visions to talk candidly about the world as they see it and saw it. Memorable is Clare of Assisi, who smokes a cigarette and claims to be the patron saint of television. Saint Nicholas helps Damian deliver cash to needy Mormons, who turn around immediately and buy a foot massager and digital TV. It's refreshing to see the saints almost human in their little scenes that illuminate the realistic side of religious fanaticism. But it is that devotion that lets Damian fight the forces of greed and a forceful brother, not to mention the crooks and citizens now fully engaged in extracting the cash from the blameless kids.

Boyle's hyperactive camera ushers in some magic realism at the beginning with a house building itself in seconds and later a rocket launch to an exotic paradise. No one ever accused Boyle of being unimaginative or reverent. The ornery Millions is a tribute to a director who makes children interesting and wise and movies for everyone.

Millions reinforces the fact that Danny Boyle cannot be pigeonholed as a director. One does not expect to see the director of acclaimed drug abuse and zombie movies come out with such wholesome entertainment. Though this is accessible for the family, do not let that mislead you into thinking the movie does not have weight. The sincerity of this film saves it from becoming too lovey, and Boyle's personal connection with Manchester certainly adds to the depth of the environment. The story is told from the children's' point of view, bright with color, and those children give extraordinary performances. The use of stop-motion and accelerated exposures is characteristic of a style Boyle enjoys, and it accents the scenes where it is employed well. I highly recommend this film, and only wish it had been released for the past holiday season.