Starring: Jimmy Bennett, Trevor Gagnon, James Spader, Leslie Mann, William H. Macy
Director: Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids series, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl)
Running Time: 1 hr 29 min
Release Date: August 21, 2009
Budget: N/A
Average Critics’ Score: 51%
“A satisfying dose of wild imagination and unbridled silliness.” Mike Scott, New Orleans Times-Picayune
“This is the multiplex equivalent of ADD.” Ty Burr, Boston Globe
This imaginative family adventure film is not named after summer wear but rather the nonsequential, lively vignettes in which this otherwise ordinary story is told. The old adage of “be careful what you wish for” is Shorts’ theme, and it hits the audience over the head with this message like a rock. In this case, that rock is the magic wishing stone a group of neighborhood kids find. The seamless special effects, commentary on technology’s omnipotence and the wishes’ often humorous outcomes, however, mostly make up for the preachy morals of unity and selflessness. Plus, the cute kids give plucky performances and adult stars Spader and Macy relish their dynamic roles.
