Movie Review: Millions

If any of you readers saw and liked Millions, please let me know why. I had heard that lots of people really liked this movie, and I'm baffled as to why. Yes, the little boy was cute, and it was funny how he knew all those facts about the saints, but I just felt like there was no coherent storyline. Why was the boy so set on helping the poor? Was he just kind-hearted? Was there some connection between loosing his mom and helping the poor? Did his mom do a lot of things to help the poor? I have no answers.

Also, the plot seemed to jump from one thing to another with no attempt at transition. It seemed like the boys were mentioning something about a nativity scene play and the next scene they were performing it and the bad guy was there to get them. The whole movie felt like that.

And the ending drove me crazy. It wasn't the ending itself--I actually liked the scene with the mother--it was the fact that it ended without explaining so many loose ends. Why were all those people showing up at the house? Was that just a "miracle"? What happened to the bad guy? Did he get caught? And what was that scene where the cardboard box took them to Africa? Where did the fact that the cardboard box house was a rocket come from?

Finally, what was the point? The kid learned that money does nothing but cause problems, so he burned it. But then the last scene shows what good things money can do like building wells in Africa (that's another thing: why Africa? Does he have some connection to Africa?). There are conflicing messages and no attempt to reconcile them.

Anyway, I was mad that I watched it, but a lot of people, including lots of people who know more than me, really like it. So watch it if you want, but don't get your hopes up too much.