Starring:
Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick,
Nicky Katt, Josh Lucas. Written and Directed by Tim McCanlies
PG - for thematic material, language and action violence.
I remember a time when THE SIXTH
SENSE ruled the box office and Haley Joel Osment was, overnight,
a household name. Then, joining the ranks of youngest actors to
ever be nominated for an Oscar, he became an instant celebrity
with all the “experts” proclaiming him to be the future
of Hollywood. Well, that was years ago, which, by comparison would
make today the future. Sadly enough, the future is still much
like the past.
SECOND
HAND LIONS is Haley’s latest cinematic appearance along
with the high caliber actors Robert Duvall (Hub McCaan) and Michael
Caine (Garth McCaan) who were in essence the meat and potatoes
of the film. Walter (Haley) is left with his two Uncles Hub and
Garth by his mom Mae (Kyra Sedgwick) for the summer. The pretense
given is that she needs to go to school to get her edumacation
and so she needs to leave him with some supervision. The truth
is that she’s a flake and a horrible mother. It’s
common knowledge that these two men have a fortune hidden away
in their rickety old rural home. No one knows how or where they
got it and no one really cares. The vultures smell blood and begin
to swoop down for the carcass. First to swoop is the head vulture
Mae. She tells Walter when she drops him off that she wants him
to search the house for the hidden money. Forget about family
and trust and all that other bull$hit. This is Machiavellian style
capitalism at its core.
Once left with the uncles in the middle of nowhere
without phone or TV the 14 year old is forced to tail his uncles
wherever they go. Believe it or not, this is basically the whole
movie. From this point on we’re treated to scenes of them
gardening and shooting their shotguns in the air to shoo off the
traveling salesmen that soldier on their predestined course of
annoying the McCaan brothers. Wooptie-doo. The movie only finally
gets interesting when, because there’s absolutely nothing
else to do, Garth begins to tell Walter the story of Jasmine,
Hub’s only true love. This is where the only interesting
parts of the movie lie. Unfortunately they’re all flashbacks
which means that they’re more or less short and in between.
The back story is quite frankly a hell of a lot more interesting
than the actual story you pay to see. I think they should’ve
just concentrated on that instead.
The
first thing you’ll notice is that Haley is no longer the
little boy you remember. His voice has changed and he’s
obviously much older and taller. The down side is that his acting
has not grown in sync with his body. He wasn’t bad but at
the same time it felt as though he got this part only because
of his name and previous status rather than his acting skills.
I felt that several scenes were pained and simply awkward. It
was cute when he was a little boy and the darling of America but,
as he’s soon going to realize, you’re only as good
as you’re last movie. Without having continued work since
his last major projects it seems that his skills have faltered
or stagnated and it shows in his performance.
Duvall and Caine on the other
hand are what true Hollywood acting is all about. Professional
veterans in their field and art, they are the backbone and glue
of the whole film. Excellent acting by both just makes it all
the more upsetting to sit through two hours of wait. Waiting for
the conversation to end, waiting for the next scene to finally
get here, waiting for something, anything, to break the monotony
of events that mire what was already a conceptually bland movie.
Apologies if I may sound harsh but the fact is there was nothing
to grab your attention other than the great flashback scenes.
I’m sure you don’t go to movies to watch an occasional
flashback and be content. You’d like to be entertained throughout
the whole film, no? I would. It just didn’t happen.
Again,
this had nothing to do with Duvall or Caine, or even Osment who,
like I said, wasn’t worth the headlining bill, but more
to do with the script and the writing. It wasn’t anywhere
near the level of THE HOURS that had your complete and rapt attention
only through the use of dialogue delivered by exceptional acting
by all participants. Nor were the exciting flashback scenes enough
to make you forget that you had to sit through more minutes of
daydreaming before the next flashback to keep you interested.
Nor was it even a totally bad film. It was just… blah.
Go see this if you’re a Duvall or Caine
fan. They’re great to watch and are an example of what actors
should aspire to be (even in this). Don’t go see this movie
if you’re looking for high adventure in exotic locations.
SECOND
HAND LIONS is Haley’s latest cinematic appearance along
with the high caliber actors Robert Duvall (Hub McCaan) and Michael
Caine (Garth McCaan) who were in essence the meat and potatoes
of the film. Walter (Haley) is left with his two Uncles Hub and
Garth by his mom Mae (Kyra Sedgwick) for the summer. The pretense
given is that she needs to go to school to get her edumacation
and so she needs to leave him with some supervision. The truth
is that she’s a flake and a horrible mother. It’s
common knowledge that these two men have a fortune hidden away
in their rickety old rural home. No one knows how or where they
got it and no one really cares. The vultures smell blood and begin
to swoop down for the carcass. First to swoop is the head vulture
Mae. She tells Walter when she drops him off that she wants him
to search the house for the hidden money. Forget about family
and trust and all that other bull$hit. This is Machiavellian style
capitalism at its core. 
The
first thing you’ll notice is that Haley is no longer the
little boy you remember. His voice has changed and he’s
obviously much older and taller. The down side is that his acting
has not grown in sync with his body. He wasn’t bad but at
the same time it felt as though he got this part only because
of his name and previous status rather than his acting skills.
I felt that several scenes were pained and simply awkward. It
was cute when he was a little boy and the darling of America but,
as he’s soon going to realize, you’re only as good
as you’re last movie. Without having continued work since
his last major projects it seems that his skills have faltered
or stagnated and it shows in his performance. 
Again,
this had nothing to do with Duvall or Caine, or even Osment who,
like I said, wasn’t worth the headlining bill, but more
to do with the script and the writing. It wasn’t anywhere
near the level of THE HOURS that had your complete and rapt attention
only through the use of dialogue delivered by exceptional acting
by all participants. Nor were the exciting flashback scenes enough
to make you forget that you had to sit through more minutes of
daydreaming before the next flashback to keep you interested.
Nor was it even a totally bad film. It was just… blah.