Joaquin Phoenix plays a radio journalist (with deep-pocket sponsors judging by the way they spend money for travel, etc.). When his sister (Gaby Hoffmann) has to deal with her estranged husband’s mental issues, she asks her brother to take care of their 9-year-old son (Woody Norman), who has issues of his own. Since Phoenix’s character is interviewing children about the future, he ends up taking his new charge with him to New York and New Orleans. Basically, this is an extended acting exercise with warm interactions between the 2 characters. Phoenix is more human and subtle than usual, while Norman is one of those kids with impressive natural presence in front of the camera. Their sweet chemistry provides the film’s focus, but there’s really no narrative thru line or objective here…just lots of interaction. Furthermore, not sure how the interviews with the real kids added to the film’s effect. Ditto with why it’s in shot black and white. 
(2.5 / 5)
