Cast: Elden Henson, Kieran Culkin, Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, Harry Dean Stanton, Gillian Anderson,
James Gandolfini
Director: Peter Chelsom
Producers: Simon Fields, Jane Startz
Screenplay: Charles Leavitt based on the novel Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
Cinematography: John de Borman
Music: Trevor Jones
U.S. Distributor: Miramax Films
The Mighty is, quite simply, one of the best family films of the decade (counting both live-action and animated offerings). With the exception of a short burst of easily-forgivable, overwrought melodrama around the climax, this picture is nearly perfect in both conception and execution. It is a fine example of how a movie can thoroughly entertain viewers of all ages. This isn't the kind of film that parents must endure for their children's sake, nor does it please adults by boring kids. Instead, The Mighty manages the rarest of cinematic feats: communicating to both the under-13 and over-13 crowd with the same level of enthusiasm, sincerity, and entertainment value.
The Mighty, which is based on the book Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, tells the story of two phenomenally mismatched children who complement each other so well that, together, they form one complete (not to mention formidable) individual. The film's narrator, Max Kane (Elden Henson), is a hulking seventh-grader who makes up for his limited intellectual prowess with an imposing physical presence. But, because Max is a gentle giant -- slow to anger and even slower to retaliate -- he has become the target of taunts and teasing. But that all changes when Kevin Dillon (Kieran Culkin) moves in next door. Kevin is Max's opposite: frail in form, but a giant in intelligence. Crippled by a disease that eats away at his body, Kevin has devoted himself to developing a powerful world of imagination where he is a knight in King Arthur's court and the braces on his legs do not affect his ability to do great deeds (slay dragons and save damsels). Now, in concert with Max, these things become possible in the real world, even if the dragons are just local bullies and the damsels are not maidens of virtue.
At the center of The Mighty is the friendship between Max and Kevin, two constant outsiders who discover the joy of finding someone else in the same predicament. Their relationship is presented with such insight and sensitivity by director Peter Chelsom (Hear My Song) that we feel the strength of their bond. Who among us has not, at one time or another, felt like we didn't belong? Chelsom captures that sensation perfectly, then dispels it, as the pain of exclusion gives way to the warmth of inclusion. Friendships between children are often far more profound than those between adults, and The Mighty explores how this is so.
The film is also a salute to the power of imagination and creativity. Kevin introduces Max to his magical world of the mind, and soon both boys are employing it as a refuge. They do not use it as a means of denying reality, but as a way to help them struggle through the most difficult times. Reassured that they are Knights of the Round Table, and knowing that "a knight proves his worthiness through his deeds," each can face his most daunting opponent. For Max, it is the memory of one terrible night when he was a child; for Kevin, it is the knowledge that he will never be normal. Chelsom mixes some of this fantasy imagery into his visual tapestry (mounted knights make occasional appearances), but he resists the temptation to overdo it.
Solid performances abound, regardless of whether the role is large or small. Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin (Macaulay's younger brother) are both believable. Considering the physical limitations placed upon Kevin, Culkin is especially effective. Some big-name actors ably fill supporting parts. Gena Rowlands and Harry Dean Stanton play Max's grandparents, Gran and Grim. James Gandolfini is Max's long-lost father. Gillian Anderson is almost unrecognizable as a drunken housewife. Most impressive of all, however, is Sharon Stone, who handles a tremendous turn as Kevin's emotionally-vulnerable, dowdy mother. Although Stone has done some decent work in the past (look beyond the script to her performance in Last Dance for an example), this is the kind of role that erases all doubt about her ability as an actress. Despite the total absence of glamour, she makes Gwen Dillon a real person.
Although a few tears may be shed from time-to-time, The Mighty is basically a feel-good motion picture, with frequent forays into comedy and adventure. Thematically, it shares certain similarities with Simon Birch, but this is in every way a superior effort. Whereas Simon Birch (an insulting adaptation of John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany) is an embarrassing and shameless tear-jerker, The Mighty offers substance, depth, and intelligence in addition to an emotional impact.
Although the list of good, live-action family features is small, the list of great ones is microscopic. The Mighty deserves a place on the exclusive roster of the latter. Seeing a film like this does more than simply entertain; it fills the viewer with optimism that the future of motion pictures might not be as bleak as the Armageddons and Godzillas make it seem. If something like The Mighty can be produced, then the monsters haven't yet won, and the knights still have a chance.
© 1998 James Berardinelli