Tough guy Clive Owen goes moist and squishy on us in Scott Hicks’ poignant and problematic domestic drama about Down Under sports writer Joe Warr, who periodically receives child-rearing advice from the imagined spirit of his deceased wife (Laura Fraser).
Joe not only raises his 6-year-old (Nicholas McAnulty), but his imported rebel teen son (George MacKay) from a previous marriage. Joe loves his boys, but doesn’t really want to be the daddy, resulting in a home life reminiscent of “Animal House.”
“You drink too much and you live like a pig!” says Emma Booth’s available and comely single mother, who likes Joe. Rated: PG-13 (for language). 100 minutes. (Read more…)
Now playing at the Century Centre and the River East 21 in Chicago and the CineArts 6 in Evanston.