Rated PG-13 for language
Starring Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Catherine O'Hara
Directed by Gillies MacKinnon
The Story:
Michael McCann (Martin) lives alone making furniture for a living. Into his life toddles a little one, and Michael adopts the child and names her Mathilda. He uses an unconventional parenting style, but Michael and Mathilda form a loving bond over the years. However, local politician John Newland (Byrne) is the girl's real father, and since he cannot have children with his own wife (Linney), they decide to sue for custody of the girl.
That's a simplistic narrative for a story with much more complex layers than that. Based on the novel Silas Marner by George Eliot, Steve Martin adapted the story for himself to bring to the screen.
What he brings is a heartwarming dramedy where he plays a role unlike any he'd ever played before.
He's not wild and crazy. He's not tossing jokes left and right.
There are a few fun situations he falls into along the way, so it's not without humor.
However, it's a story of love and redemption that is worth a viewing.
Instead, the meat of the story takes place after Mathilda has grown and the court case to decide if she should stay with Michael, or go live with her real father who can provide for her in ways that Michael could never dream.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film, it had been about 15 years since I last saw it.
It still holds up very well in my eyes.
Final Grade: B+
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, I simply must not let so much time pass between viewings next time.
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