Secondhand Lions

This Cat Is Really A Tabby

Main Cast: Robert Duvall, Michael Caine, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick

Director: Tim McCanlies

A comedy with a gleeful heart of gold peeking through, this coming-of-age comedy/drama is a little frayed around the edges with standard plot devices, but it wears them well and the camaraderie between the three main characters makes up for any tiresome clichés.

Young teen Walter (Osment) is unceremoniously dumped off at the farm of his two uncles by his flighty mother, Mae (Sedgwick). It’s obvious she is clueless and not too malicious, although she is very concerned about the loads of money these uncles apparently have, and never spend. The two old men, Hub (Duvall) and Garth (Caine), are at first nonplussed to say the least to have this kid dumped on their doorstep. They are very much set in their ways and don’t make many concessions. They, too, have no clue on raising a kid, but at least they are honest about it. It’s also amusing how many salesmen they run off at gunpoint… apparently their “treasure” isn’t a very well kept secret.

Eventually the old men warm to the kid, and Garth tells Walter of a fairy-tale like story of Hub’s past, complete with the Foreign Legion, battles in the desert, sheiks, and beautiful princesses. Are the stories true? Half true?

Again, this is a pretty good bonding flick, coupled with coming-of-age. All the acting is solid, perhaps a bit over-done, but that’s intended. The whole thing is suppose to be a fairy tale on its own, and I think it succeeds overall. For all those who enjoy these types of movies, it’s a keeper.

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