Martian Child
Martian Child Image
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Metascore
48 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 30 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Amanda Peet, Bobby Coleman, John Cusack
  • Summary: A recently widowed science-fiction writer forms an unlikely family with a close friend and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars. The new couple ignores some sage parenting advice from the widower's sister and gets more than they bargained for when a series of strange occurrences lead them to believe that the child's claim may be true. (New Line Cinema)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 26
  3. Negative: 4 out of 26
  1. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Connie Ogle
    75
    Cusack, of course, is the perfect Anti-Schmaltz. His rapid-fire delivery makes everything he says sound like it's just pouring from his brain to his mouth, so that even the sappiest dialogue is rendered sincere.
  2. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Scott Tobias
    58
    It's hard to say what, aside from novelty, is gained by having the boy believe he's from Mars, because the core emotion in the film comes from the simple, common premise of an adoptive father and son trying to forge a life together.
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Gregory Kirschling
    58
    The problem with Martian Child is that it wants to be a story about outcasts, but Dennis doesn't come off as a cute little rebel.
  4. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Carina Chocano
    30
    Martian Child would like to be "About a Boy (Who Thinks He's a Martian)", but, disappointingly, it doesn't even come close.

See all 26 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. JoeB.
    10
    John Cusack is a real artist! He plays this father simply great - non-plus-ultra! He is unique and the whole story touched me to tears. A File for men (maybe more than for women) Greetz from Germany.… Expand
  2. MarciaB
    10
    Golly, this movie is swell!! But more importantly, anyone who makes comments about "Martian Child's" secret agenda for SRS candidates- well, those people are swell, too, and not, I repeat, NOT complete idiots. Gosh, these user comments are so worthwhile and groovy, I won't even bother seeing movies anymore; I'll just read about them here! (To the editing staff- since you are obviously too GUTLESS to post comments that even slightly chide other users for their offensive remarks, I sure hope that there was an adequate amount of sucking up in THIS comment to suit your high standards. Bunch of lemmings).… Expand
  3. francel.
    7
    Unabashedly sentimental, but unexpectedly watchable. Plus nice acting as always from the Cusack siblings.
  4. MikeN
    1
    Simple and trivial, the movie is filled with moral indoctrination and general lack of imagination. Good actor performances but that doesn9;t make up for it.… Expand

See all 18 User Reviews

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