The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet (2014)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

More attention should be paid to the words spoken by children. Now, they may be understandable to other children, and possibly their parents, but what about the rest of us? I'm English, my wife American and neither could make out what the young star was saying for the most part, same thing for his sister too. The story was good. It's just a shame that this important aspect of the film was ignored, or worse, not even considered a problem.

Even seasoned reviewers will tell you, in confidence, that there are some films which should not be reviewed by conventional means. This is one of them.I am guessing I have seen several dozen films that try in their own fashion to capture the essence, the nub, of what it is like to be a child in a world of adults.This one succeeds and does so brilliantly.It is not merely that writer/director Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a craftsman of the highest order - I would happily stand in line to see his next film, whatever it may be -- or that the actors (including Helena Carter) are pitch perfect, it is the sum total of the experience that just grabs you from the first scene and holds you until the end.Highly recommended.

The film is about a young kid who loses his brother to a gun accident and how that pain and guilt affects him. However, the story is fun, original and happy. We go on a journey with a 10 year old that is obsessed with science, a kid who wants to get to the Smithsonian to get a science award everybody believes an adult will receive, but in the end we understand what he feels deep inside, beneath all the abstract thinking of a science geek.In some ways, the movie is charming and interesting to watch, in others it's a bit slow in that way movies are made about crazy people because when they do what is normal to them, to the viewer is new and exotic. It is clearly a good film, one that deserves a watch, however it sort of felt like the bastard child of Amelie and Budapest Hotel.

There's a few things you can guarantee with a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film. It'll have a quirky network of characters, the titular protagonist will have a unique perspective on the little things, the sprightly cinematography will burst off the screen, the score will be a treat, and Dominique Pinon will appear. The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet is a surprisingly under the radar release for such a big name director. It's a harmless film, but that perhaps works against it. Jeunet always worked best in the contrast of his sweetness and darkness. It does have a touch of it, and is easily the strongest aspect of the film, but it's not enough to satisfy. Adapted from a children's book, it's expectedly neutered for him. The goal isn't very believable and the obstacles are idle threats. It's fine, it's still entertaining, but not enough to make an impression. There's a strong emotional undercurrent that occasionally pops up about dealing with loss - it's a textbook hook, but one that works. If only it stopped off at more engaging places along the way.7/10