We adopted our son from Korea almost six years ago, so watching this film was sort of like watching him. There, the resemblance ends...
This was a very touching story, without a lot of dialog, or big "payoff" scenes, about how a loving approach will eventually break down even the most "monstrous" of kids.
The boy IS a brat, make no mistake. If he was our son, we would never let him get away with some of the stunts he pulls. However, I disagree with some of the other comments saying the kid does not change. He subtly changes throughout the movie. First, when he he takes down the wash during a rain storm, and then hangs it back up... and then re arranges it so it looks like how his grandma did it so she won't know. There was the scene when he replaces the hairpin he stole while she is sleeping. We got a kick out of his attempt to make her breakfast ("or lunch") in bed. He does learn some hard lessons, like when the local boy helps him out when he gets chased by the "crazy cow", even after he played a nasty trick on him.
The "payoff" as it was, was when he leaves Grandma. He still can't say goodbye in a way we might like, but let's not forget he IS a kid and sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to someone we love when we are that age. However, him leaving her those postcards to send him if she needs him shows just how far he has come.
True, the story does not have a "big payoff" scene, and some comments have complained about it. I agree with what another person said and think that such moments would have been out of character with the movie. As that user rightly said, it's the small gestures that build up to the big moment we hope to see.
I was surprised when I learned none of the stars were in movies before. I think having "stars" would have changed the sweet nature of the film.
We really liked the movie, but boy did we want to smack that kid early on! Happily he comes around.
This was a very touching story, without a lot of dialog, or big "payoff" scenes, about how a loving approach will eventually break down even the most "monstrous" of kids.
The boy IS a brat, make no mistake. If he was our son, we would never let him get away with some of the stunts he pulls. However, I disagree with some of the other comments saying the kid does not change. He subtly changes throughout the movie. First, when he he takes down the wash during a rain storm, and then hangs it back up... and then re arranges it so it looks like how his grandma did it so she won't know. There was the scene when he replaces the hairpin he stole while she is sleeping. We got a kick out of his attempt to make her breakfast ("or lunch") in bed. He does learn some hard lessons, like when the local boy helps him out when he gets chased by the "crazy cow", even after he played a nasty trick on him.
The "payoff" as it was, was when he leaves Grandma. He still can't say goodbye in a way we might like, but let's not forget he IS a kid and sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to someone we love when we are that age. However, him leaving her those postcards to send him if she needs him shows just how far he has come.
True, the story does not have a "big payoff" scene, and some comments have complained about it. I agree with what another person said and think that such moments would have been out of character with the movie. As that user rightly said, it's the small gestures that build up to the big moment we hope to see.
I was surprised when I learned none of the stars were in movies before. I think having "stars" would have changed the sweet nature of the film.
We really liked the movie, but boy did we want to smack that kid early on! Happily he comes around.