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John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Sophie Okonedo, Oliver Platt, Bobby Coleman ... see more see more... , Joan Cusack , Richard Schiff , Anjelica Huston

Adapted from a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novelette by author David Gerrold, Menno Meyjes's Martian Child stars John Cusack as a widowed science fiction writer who adopts a boy (Bobby Coleman) who ... read more read more...claims to be from the Red Planet. The writer believes the child acts strangely in order to process the difficulty he has had in his young life, but soon both he and his sister (Joan Cusack) begin to wonder if the boy might be telling the truth. Amanda Peet co-stars as the woman who becomes a mother figure for the boy. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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73% liked it

83,506 ratings

Critics

33% liked it

107 critics

PG, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Menno Meyjes

Release Date: November 2, 2007

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DVD Release Date: February 13, 2008

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Stats: 5,648 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,648)

  • DreamExtractor
    June 13, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Martian Child has potential, but fails to bring anything new. The plot is basically, kid thinks hes an alien, a guy adopts him, they become father and son, the end. I would be lying if I said there chemistry was not great, because I loved them together. John Cusack is good bu... read moret this kid was the palest, whiniest, and highest pitched voice kid ever and I didn't like him. Overall its really boring, but its a good father and son movie.
  • bbcfloridabound
    November 15, 2010
    bbcfloridabound
    Second time I've seen this film and its everything it was when I first saw it on the big screen, outstanding. Bobby Coleman awesome child actor, had me believing he was from Mars, John Cusack played the adopted Dad, and did all he was supposed to do. And the very beautiful Amand... read morea Peet was stellar and was everything most women are not. The move is about a orphan who thinks he's from mars and is up for adoption. 5 Stars a Good Clean Family Film.
  • theylovealexis
    September 6, 2010
    theylovealexis
    This movie was soooooo cute. The kind of cute that has you in tears by the end of it. The acting was great and John Cusack is so warm.
    From tragic roots these two guys find each other to form this odd couple. I really liked it. Makes me want to watch all man-finds-young-boy-to-b... read moreefriend movies.. wait, maybe not all of them.
  • 5oclockcoffee
    June 5, 2009
    5oclockcoffee
    It´s far from great, but it´s nice and cute.


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    For every outsider "child" that at least ... read moreonce thought or wanted to be from Mars or any other planet.




  • FiLmCrAzY
    April 24, 2009
    FiLmCrAzY
    This is a cute heart warming movie which a love between a lonely and heart broken child and a man grows stronger and is a really cute lovely film
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    October 6, 2008
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    Martian Child is one of those quiet movies that many people won't see. Those who don't see it will miss it. I can understand why it's sitting quiet: not much promotion, and who would it appeal to? There is no CGI, no car chases, no undue violence, only a brief kiss, and the movie... read more isn't partof a trilogy. People who want plot that is not clichéd, and meaningful dialogue will search the movie out. It's aimed at the heart, and touches the emotions. It makes a person realize how important it is to have people in your life who will never, ever, ever, ever give up on you. Even when it looks like you are from Mars. John Cusack is not an actor I am drawn to, yet this movie changed my mind. He has depth, wit, and range I hadn't noticed before. Even if the movie doesn't get wild acclaim, it has a quiet understatement that I hope gets noticed. We all need to belong, and have at least one person believe in us.
  • Camus123
    July 27, 2008
    Camus123
    I have always been a John Cusack fan and even happier when he teams up with his sister Joan (love her) so I am pretty much assuredly going to watch most movies he comes out with.
    I saw some mixed reviews on this one and got burned by "Serendipity," but liked the premise of "Mart... read moreian Child" so I forgave a little.
    Eccentric writer ostracized in his early childhood for being "odd" loses his wife and finds his calling in being the father to an adopted son who is even odder than he was.
    The movie is charming even though sometimes it pushes the message too far and occasionally relies on heavy cliche. This is a very moving tale made even more moving in light of the fact that it was based on a true story. There is a 13 minute extra where the writer and his "Martian child" do a bit of a retrospective on how the story was written based upon their relationship, trials and tribulations and that the child in the film is, in fact, a mirror to his own adopted son (who we do get to meet).
    This tidbit makes the film that much more special.
    A good movie about being true to oneself and not compromising your heart in the face of any external influences as well as accepting others for exactly who they are.
    Check it out.
  • dreamfaeries
    May 28, 2008
    dreamfaeries
    So cute.
  • barrys
    April 15, 2008
    barrys
    Martian Child is a inspiring, tender, touching and emotional movie that will reach you to the deepest part of your heart. Its a movie that contains a lot of drama and also a little bit of comedy. The story is very good and interesting. Based on an award-winning short story by sci... read more-fi luminary David Gerrold, "Martian Child' is directed by Menno Meyjes, it is about a recently widowed science fiction writer (John Cusack) who forms an unlikely family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. Its cast is excellent, John Cusack in the leading role gives us a wonderful performance, the kid Bobby Coleman delivers an outstanding acting job, his chemistry on screen with John Cusack is really good. Amanda Peet as John Cusack's character is very convincing, Joan Cusack's secondary role gives a big support in the movie and A brief but convincing special appearance from Angelica Huston. To conclude, this is a heart touching movie that for moments turns a bit corny but pretty enjoyable in general.
  • purplemegan
    April 8, 2008
    purplemegan
    Very cute and sweet. It lost my interest in the middle somewhere but then it sucked me in again at the end.

View All Martian Child Reviews

Critic Reviews

Elizabeth Weitzman
November 17, 2007
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

The entire cast is fully committed to this squishily sentimental tale, which is especially impressive given that it's the kind of generic dramedy you'll swear you've seen a thousand times before. Full Review

Richard Roeper
November 6, 2007
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Everybody is very earnest, too earnest.

Kyle Smith
November 3, 2007
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Has enough wit and unpredictability to hold your attention. Full Review

James Berardinelli
November 3, 2007
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Martian Child wants to make us cry. It nearly made me gag. This is an exercise in shameless and inept emotional manipulation. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
November 2, 2007
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

If all this is supposed to be so life-affirming, how come I envied the dead dog? Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 2, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It's off in many directions -- false in its details, false in its relationships, false in its emotions -- but probably the first and worst thing that needs to be said about it is that it's also overlo... Full Review

Gene Seymour
November 2, 2007
Gene Seymour, Newsday

Cusack and Coleman make this whimsical trip worthwhile. Full Review

Steven Boone
November 2, 2007
Steven Boone, Newark Star-Ledger

There is something disingenuous and calculating about the work of his director and composer. Full Review

Carina Chocano
November 2, 2007
Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times

Martian Child would like to be About a Boy (Who Thinks He's a Martian), but, disappointingly, it doesn't even come close. Full Review

Tom Long
November 2, 2007
Tom Long, Detroit News

Director Menno Meyjes keeps the sci-fi suspense quotient up just enough to make the ending somewhat disappointingly pat. Full Review

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