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Movie Review
Mickeybo & Me
By Lee Tistaert Published February 5, 2005
C+
There are hints of quite a good film had only the script been developed more, but the filmmakers merely play it safe for undemanding moviegoers.
Mickeybo & Me is an independent film that doesn?t have a release date yet. Picked up by Focus Features and produced by Stephen Daldry (director of The Hours), along with two others who were behind About a Boy (B+) and Billy Elliot (B), this film doesn?t live up to its impressive behind-the-scenes talent. The movie is set in the 1970?s and revolves around two Irish kids who are obsessed with their onscreen heroes, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Intent on being just like them, Mickeybo and Jonjo (the two main characters) steal a gun, attempt a bank robbery, and are soon chased down by police as they try to run away to Australia as little criminals.
The film starts off with a lot of promise. The tone works surprisingly well (the music is well chosen and the film is well shot) and the setup of the story is engaging. The film is set in the gritty streets with these bored, mischievous kids trying to keep themselves occupied. However, once these two kids decided to be like their heroes and to run away from home, the material was getting too light compared to the promise that the introduction conveyed. The story was just way too cute for my taste, which is a shame because the style is effective.
The film is mostly about these two kids and yet it is rated R for language (Mickeybo has quite a mouth). This story is about the adventures we all had when we were younger, and how you were once oblivious to the world around you and so full of life. The film is targeted toward adults considering the nostalgia factor and most people at this screening were 30 - 45. And I should note that the majority of the crowd was enjoying the film; they seemed to think it was a cute, enjoyable movie, and there were quite a bit of giggles.
What annoyed me about Mickeybo & Me is that the acting is solid, especially by its two child actors (which is especially rare for their age), but the storytelling gets really simple. The performances reminded me a little of Stand by Me (A-) in that it seemed like the kids were just being themselves rather than acting their parts. There was a sense of realism behind everything in that film, and the material was mature for the most part and it tackled some strong issues.
Instead of handing over anything provocative, Mickeybo & Me relies on a lot of light and ?cute? situations for comic relief (like the 1973 caper comedy, Paper Moon). And while the music is not as cheery as it could?ve been (as compared to Around the Bend, which was unbearable at times), I was getting tired of how straightforward the story was. I?d like a story about the innocence of being young and how not much mattered to us, but the film doesn?t speak directly about any of this ? it is simply what I took from it. There is no dissection of what it?s like to be young and innocent, as it?s just a simple journey.
What also annoyed me is that the film mentions Butch Cassidy quite a bit. I want to send a note to aspiring filmmakers out there: do not show clips of classic or really good films unless you are confident that your movie is good ? otherwise it makes the viewer want to watch those films instead. While watching Mickeybo & Me and periodically seeing clips of Sundance Kid, I just wanted to switch films because I was bored. And when that happens it can make your appreciation of the film you are watching slide even more.
These are the kinds of films that can irritate me even more than watching bad movies. There are hints of quite a good film had only the script been developed more (it has the right director), but the filmmakers merely play it safe for undemanding moviegoers. I realize that some people have different preferences in the types of movies they go see and what they expect out of each, but when there is potential for more than what is handed over, that is a disappointing experience. And while this isn?t a bad movie, it just seems to have more on its mind than what is expressed, which is unfortunate.
The film starts off with a lot of promise. The tone works surprisingly well (the music is well chosen and the film is well shot) and the setup of the story is engaging. The film is set in the gritty streets with these bored, mischievous kids trying to keep themselves occupied. However, once these two kids decided to be like their heroes and to run away from home, the material was getting too light compared to the promise that the introduction conveyed. The story was just way too cute for my taste, which is a shame because the style is effective.
The film is mostly about these two kids and yet it is rated R for language (Mickeybo has quite a mouth). This story is about the adventures we all had when we were younger, and how you were once oblivious to the world around you and so full of life. The film is targeted toward adults considering the nostalgia factor and most people at this screening were 30 - 45. And I should note that the majority of the crowd was enjoying the film; they seemed to think it was a cute, enjoyable movie, and there were quite a bit of giggles.
What annoyed me about Mickeybo & Me is that the acting is solid, especially by its two child actors (which is especially rare for their age), but the storytelling gets really simple. The performances reminded me a little of Stand by Me (A-) in that it seemed like the kids were just being themselves rather than acting their parts. There was a sense of realism behind everything in that film, and the material was mature for the most part and it tackled some strong issues.
Instead of handing over anything provocative, Mickeybo & Me relies on a lot of light and ?cute? situations for comic relief (like the 1973 caper comedy, Paper Moon). And while the music is not as cheery as it could?ve been (as compared to Around the Bend, which was unbearable at times), I was getting tired of how straightforward the story was. I?d like a story about the innocence of being young and how not much mattered to us, but the film doesn?t speak directly about any of this ? it is simply what I took from it. There is no dissection of what it?s like to be young and innocent, as it?s just a simple journey.
What also annoyed me is that the film mentions Butch Cassidy quite a bit. I want to send a note to aspiring filmmakers out there: do not show clips of classic or really good films unless you are confident that your movie is good ? otherwise it makes the viewer want to watch those films instead. While watching Mickeybo & Me and periodically seeing clips of Sundance Kid, I just wanted to switch films because I was bored. And when that happens it can make your appreciation of the film you are watching slide even more.
These are the kinds of films that can irritate me even more than watching bad movies. There are hints of quite a good film had only the script been developed more (it has the right director), but the filmmakers merely play it safe for undemanding moviegoers. I realize that some people have different preferences in the types of movies they go see and what they expect out of each, but when there is potential for more than what is handed over, that is a disappointing experience. And while this isn?t a bad movie, it just seems to have more on its mind than what is expressed, which is unfortunate.
Lee's Grade: C+
Lee's Overall Grading: 3025 graded movies
| A | 0.4% | |
| B | 30.0% | |
| C | 61.7% | |
| D | 8.0% | |
| F | 0.0% |
