(2006) Based on Jim Stovall's coming-of-age novel, dedicated to the memory of Clete McAllister Childs (1999-2005), this film carries a message gift wrapped in sentimentality, bearing a Hallmark card of precious platitudes ("It's better to give than to receive").

In places the story is awkwardly held together with coincidences and melodrama, but the authenticity of the characters allowed me to suspend my disbelief where the implausible occurs. "The art of life is to get the message," Howard "Red" Stevens (James Garner) says at the outset, and I approve of this message.

Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) - arrogant, angry, and self-indulgent (living in luxury off a generous trust fund) - arrives late to his grandfather's funeral and expects nothing from the multibillionaire's will. (From what we are shown of their greedy, grubbing attitudes, none of Red's relations deserve any inheritance.) But Theophelus Hamilton (Bill Cobbs), Red's long-time partner and lawyer (as well as recipient of one of Red's kidneys), shows Jason the video his grandfather left for him to see: an admission - "You're the one I think I hurt the most" - followed by a series of twelve tasks with gifts, revealed one at a time with the stipulation that failure to earn any of the gifts will result in his getting nothing at all.

Initially Jason, who blames his grandfather for his father's death in Ecuador, says to Mr Hamilton: "Screw him. Screw you both." Nevertheless, he flies (coach for the first time in his life) to (Brian Dennehy) Gus's big spread in Texas where he works (for the first time in his life) digging and planting fence posts for a month - the gift of work.

Next Jason must return in a month to Mr Hamilton with proof of having at least one true friend. Mr Hamilton says to Jason: "I expect you to fail and to fail miserably." At the same time he loses everything he owns - apartment, car, bank accounts, credit - making him into a bum (no one's willing to let him crash, including his widowed mother), vying for space on a city park bench. (Remember what I said about gaps of plausibility?)

In the park a precocious six-year-old girl, Emily Rose (Abigail Breslin), with her single mother, Alexia Drummond (Ali Hillis), who had been at the funeral, befriends Jason on the last day of his month to find a friend.

The needs of Emily and Alexia inspire Jason to take on his grandfather's challenges to become someone deserving of their affection and trust. He learns the value of money by spending the $1500 paycheck from working for Gus to pay off Alexia's back rent at the same time he discovers that Emily is suffering from leukemia (her body is rejecting a bone-marrow transplant) in a hospital named for Red Stevens. Late for the holidays (Emily had warned him, "You'd better be back by Christmas"), returning from an ordeal in Ecuador (Was all of this part of the plan, or are the rebels for real?), he makes it up to Emily & Alexia.

In meeting the expectations for the favors of learning, family, laughter, dreams, giving, gratitude, a perfect day, and finally love with forgiveness, Jason transforms himself into a different, nobler person. In giving charitably, unstintingly to others ("In charity there is no excess" - Francis Bacon), he finds the truth of his character within himself, and reaps rewards (twenty fold times over) far beyond anything he ever expected possible.

(At the end of 2007, this Associated Press piece appeared: "Hotel magnate Barron Hilton, 80, grandfather of heiress Paris Hilton, has bequeathed $2.3 billion, or 97 percent of his net worth, to his father's charity foundation … the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation." This act of generosity reminded me of the film, except that Paris or her little brother hasn't been subjected to a series of tasks from which they might have learned the real value of money, work, and giving to others; the brother and sister remain much like Jason before his conversion.)

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2007 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Patrick Ivers can be reached via e-mail at .