The set-up of “Millions” is like a classic children’s story, a pleasing and imaginative premise with a grave tug underneath. Because this film is directed by Danny Boyle, who made “Trainspotting” and “28 Days Later,” I kept waiting for it to develop into something truly original, bold, different.
| Entertaining: A seven-year-old discovers a bag of cash, and promptly decides to give it away to the poor-something his older brother quickly disagrees with. “Trainspotting” director Danny Boyle presents this tale in a zippy manner, making it entertaining if almost too slick.
Rated: PG rating is for subject matter. Now showing: Egyptian. |
It never really does. Still, what’s here is indeed pleasing, and that’s not to be sniffed at.
Or maybe it is to be sniffed at, since “Millions” eventually turns into a real heartstring-plucker. In the opening moments, we meet a family of men: a recently widowed father (James Nesbitt) and his boys, a 9-year-old named Anthony (Lewis McGibbon) who looks and acts older than he is, and a 7-year-old named Damian (Alexander Etel) who looks and acts younger.
Dad has moved the kids from the city to a suburban development. We see things through Damian’s eyes, and he’s a good-hearted boy who fervently believes in the saints.
In fact, the great saints make regular appearances in his life, and he holds them up as examples to live by. When a bag falls off a train moving past his neighborhood, Damian discovers it contains thousands of pounds in cash – which the lad promptly decides to give away to the poor. It’s the saintly thing to do.
When his older, more practical brother hears of the windfall, he has other ideas, of course. Eventually a likable teacher (Daisy Donovan) gets mixed into the dilemma.
Talented screenwriter Frank Cotrell Boyce has added a curious urgency to the story: In his scenario, Britain is about to switch to the Euro, and the boys must change the cash or spend it before a certain date, or it will be invalid.
All of this is rendered in the zippy, brightly colored style of Danny Boyle, who brims with humor and childhood empathy. The two brothers may be the best kiddie combo since the lads of “Into the West.”
The danger of Boyle’s style is that it can become too polished for its own good; we might wonder about the zippy mood, given the recent death of the boys’ mother. But this is an entertaining movie, and (edited for tender American sensibilities from its original to get a PG rating), it makes a better-than-usual family outing.
“Millions” features a tender-hearted boy named Damian, played by Alexander Etel.
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