MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting
Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to of the 1%
Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
OliverGbyrne This film is a nostalgia fest for me. Am I being a bit selfish to review a film when I am so connected to it , perhaps so I will try to put my love for the film aside and review it for what it is. This film is part of what I would call the Amblin generation of films (although it is not an Amblin film) because it came out in a decade full of wonderful family films (Goonies,Gremlins,Cocoon,Neverending story etc..) . It was a time when adults could watch a so called kids film and enjoy it as much as their rugrats. D.A.R.Y.L is a family drama with a dash of Sci-Fy , it is two film in one.A heart warming film for the first half and a children Sci Fy thriller in it's second half.These two different style works surprisingly well here. There is something so welcoming about the first half when young D.A.R.Y.L superbly played by child actor Barret Oliver is found in the middle of the wood and put into foster care as a test drive for a couple who desperately want to adopt a child. Here he meet his first friend , potty mouthed Turtle (Yeah he his called Turtle) and learn valuable lessons about how to relate to adults (The kid does not know a thing about being a son) There is just something so incredibly warm and fuzzy about the first half of the movie that makes it the perfect choice for a rainy Sunday afternoon.There is that 80's charm.It is also nice to basically watch a family that enjoy the little thing in life like baseball , Ice cream etc..The suburban setting his welcoming and the 80's vibe will bring as much memories to 80's kids as lets say "The Andy Griffith Show" does for children of the 50's. It was a simpler time and this film shows that. Barret Oliver as D.A.R.Y.L is a great main character , he his curious , oddly different and curiously smart...way too smart. The second half reveal something is different about D.A.R.Y.L and that is when the Sci-Fy elements kicks in. I am not going to say what it is just in case the person who is reading this know nothing about this film (The cover of the DVD reveals way too much unfortunately). This film is a great film for the all family.If you feel to escape the grim reality of life lol you could do far worse then putting this charming film on! I give D.A.R.Y.L a 8 out of 10.
Stewart Alexander This is more than an exploration of a kid with a robot "brain", there's a subtle message here of what it's like being a kid when you're a little different than everyone else.People treat you oddly, sometimes even fearfully, inquisitively, or with rude insensitivity
so you learn to fit in by acting like everyone else (even though deep down your just like everyone else).This movie's message is about acceptance of our wunderkinds, our Asperger kids, our Autistic savants and anyone who sees the world a bit differently; underneath it all a kid is still a kid.As a somewhat inquisitive bookworm when I was young, I could relate with Daryl, as dealing with other kids was always a little awkward; still I wanted the love, friendship & commeratory just like everyone else.Not a perfect film, but a decent one with high ideals & a nice happy ending.
tomgillespie2002 When a car crashes off the edge of a cliff, an elderly couple pick up a smartly-dressed young boy named Daryl (Barret Oliver). When no-one claims him, he is left in the care of cutesy, middle-class suburban couple Joyce (Mary Beth Hurt) and Andy Richardson (Michael McKean), who foster him and look after him as if he were their own. Daryl also befriends the obligatory smart-mouthed ginger kid Turtle (Danny Corkill), who realises just how smart Daryl is. Daryl exceeds in everything, including baseball and video games, much to the confusion of his new family. But when he is claimed by his real 'parents', he is taken back to a research lab where his true identity is revealed.This was another one of those films that somehow made it onto my video shelf when I was young. I don't recall how it got there or who bought it for me, but it was there, and therefore earns its place in the Childhood Memories Project. It came flooding back to me when I re-watched it. But I also that, as a child, I could only make it through the first hour, and that I always got too bored to watch the entire film. Well maybe I was a silly child with the attention span of an ant, but in all honesty, this film is a bit of a bore. And a sickening one at that.D.A.R.Y.L. is so American and so suburban, I felt like I was being wrapped up in blankets and fed ice-cream until I was vomiting in all directions. Everything is just so idyllic and perfect - the eternal brown autumn leaves, the large multi-bedroomed white houses, the perfect best-friend couple, the father who trained Little League - I couldn't believe it when Steve Martin didn't pop out wearing a checked shirt neatly tucked into his jeans. It looks like a wonderful place to live, but the fact that it doesn't f*****g exist just got on my nerves. It's escapist cinema at its most subliminal - American family films do it so matter-of-factly that we just accept it.Anywho, the film itself isn't actually that bad. American family drama of the 80's seemed very much fascinated with science-fiction elements (a la Flight of the Navigator) blended into the family drama. It's actually quite nice to see what is really a children's film put so much emphasis on drama. Maybe it's because I see so much w**k vomited up for the young 'uns these days that can't go two minutes without having a CGI spunk stain (to quote Marc) spattered across the screen, or having some vile, X-Factor inspired 'song' blurted out by some mop-haired, talentless t**t such as Justin Bieber. I'm getting off the film again, sorry.It's not as boring as I , nor is it all that good. And although it all goes a little Flight of the Navigator at the end, it remains entertaining throughout. It's like a superior TV movie with a slightly better budget than normal. It is sentimental, soppy, and full of middle- class bulls**t, but it's also funny, and quite involving.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews This is something as rare as a film that while mainly(and plainly) aimed at children, to a remarkable degree avoids insulting anyone not of that age. The plot isn't bad, and moves this along nicely. The pacing is reasonable. The acting varies, but Oliver... can someone please explain to me why he never got more of a career? I've yet to see him suck. McKean is both good and likable. The special effects, while some are outdated, are actually pretty good. The sci-fi elements do hold some interesting points, and are handled well, not too simplified. The sense of humor certainly has its moments. Direction can be great. Editing is usually positive, and it has some rather effective parts. Cinematography is fine. For a kid's movie, there is a bit of language. There is also some violence, and a handful of mature references. This does bear some marks of being for little ones, if not many. Music is OK. As has been pointed out, this is a solid choice for the whole family. I recommend this to young 'uns, their parents and their siblings... as long as they're all open to science fiction. 6/10