Get 'Flushed Away' with No 'Escape Clause'

Continued from page 1

The only saving grace for me was spending movie time wondering how Elizabeth Mitchell (the evil Other from "Lost," here the very-pregnant Mrs. Claus) gets these roles where she's marooned in weirdly inaccessible places governed by arcane rules. I also spent some time feeling happy for David Krumholtz, the understandably cranky elf named Bernard from the first two movies, who has moved on to greater things and was absent from # 3. Mazel tov, David! Keep going, and don't look back.

There is no magic here. Even the arrival at the North Pole, which felt wonderful in the first film, now feels tired and computer-generated. If your kids are dying to see this--and apparently, many are--go ahead and take them, but try not to think about it. Better yet, make sure they know whatever your holiday beliefs are at least as well or better than they know the complex backstory of this Santa named Steve.

My daughter Linnéa is a serious equestrienne, so it follows that we're a serious horse-movie type of family. My one complaint is that horse movies, even the really good ones, all have the same plot: misfit horse + misfit human = triumphant ending. Usually this comes in the guise of a race won ("

," "

," "The Young Black Stallion," "National Velvet," etc.). " Flicka" certainly is the misfit mustang on a ranch filled with quarter horses, and ranch daughter Katy is the misfit in private school. (She writes nothing in her blue book for her essay final because she was "writing it in her head.")

Turns out her dad is a third-generation Big Sky rancher and her mom is a smart cookie, but somehow the genes got cross-distributed and Katy's brother is college material while Katy herself should be taking over the ranch. Problem is, her dad can't see that. Somehow he's held onto his male chauvinist beliefs even though he's married to a spitfire feminist.

The plot of the film has nothing to do with the beloved Swedish novel, "My Friend Flicka," in which the hero is a boy. The only thing saved is the horse's name. To punish Katy for her failed final, Dad (played by Tim McGraw) refuses to let Katy tame the mustang that saved her from a mountain lion. He doesn't see their E.T.-Eliot connection until both girl and horse are at death's door. ("You can shoot us, Dad," pronounces Katy deliriously.) In fact, the whole movie is a rather "deep" family film about relationships between parents, children, and spouses. The ending isn't a triumphant race but a sorting out of what's important in life and continuing familial love.

I took Linnéa and her 9-year-old friend Madyson to the film. Both girls loved it, but said their brothers wouldn't because it "wasn't an action film." That was oddly true.

My big problem with this film, and it bothered me all the way through, was that high schooler Katy was played by Alison Lohman. Lohman, who was astonishing as the young Jessica Lange in "Big Fish," is 26 years old, and Ryan Kwanten, who played her impish college-hopeful brother, is 29. It was clear that one of the Michaels--either director Mayer or cinematographer Muro--was in love with Alison, because half the movie is her face in extreme close up. And the girl looks 26. Not since 34-year-old Stockard Channing attended Rydell in "Grease" has the advanced age of an alleged high school girl been so jarring--and it's not like there aren't talented young actors out there from which to choose. I kept wondering how different the movie would feel if it had been about a teenager, as written.

Given that, both girls I took were transfixed, but I believe they're right. This one is not for the guys. It's one for the horse lovers, the Alison Lohman fans (hog heaven), and Tim McGraw groupies. If you're in one of the above groups, go, have a great time.

This is an independent feature from a small company called Summertime Films. It looks at the crazy life of high schooler Sara Davis, who may be asked to become the youngest member of the U.S. National soccer team. Even as her father, a professional coach, pushes her to make the team, she begins to realize what she's giving up in the way of friends, romance, and other interests.

Given the frenetic pace of kids' lives today, and the pushing parents feel is necessary to make their child "the best" at all costs, Summertime Films is marketing this movie directly to parents, coaches, and educators,

. The film stars several recognizable actors, including Scott Patterson from "Gilmore Girls," Darryl Sabara from "Spy Kids" and Lalaine from "Lizzie McGuire."

There was a lot of soccer in this movie--perfect for sports minded kids, I guess--but all the tweens and teens with whom I watched the movie enjoyed it. If you are a parent, a coach, a youth group leader, or a teacher who would like to engender a discussion about kids finding themselves and embracing their own values, as well as to help parents think about how much pushing is really necessary, this is a nice movie to rent. It's not heavy handed, and it's not pushing any one viewpoint (and it's not religious, no worries there if you want to show it to a school group). If it sounds up your alley, check out the

.