Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 August 2000 — Page 4

IND 4 August 9. 2000

Critic’s Corner ‘The Kid’ transgenerational delight

By CHARLES EPSTEIN What would it be like if you met yourself at the age of 8 in the present time? What would it be like if you were 8 years old and met yourself in

the future at the age of 40? These are the problems presented to two wonderful characters in the Disney's film The Kid. One of the cute tricks that makes this motion picture work is that these two do not like each other. The kid, played magnificently by Spencer Breslin, is a smart, chubby, awkward boy who is honest, real and of course curious about what happened to him being transferred to 32 years in the future. He almost steals the film with his innocence and naturalness. However, this would be very difficult to do with a

script as perfect as this one written by Audrey Wells. If I were to cast this movie after I had immediately read the script, Bruce Willis would be the last person I'd think of for the role of Russ, who meets himself when he was a little boy. I was completely surprised when I found out that he was the only actor considered for the role. Upon seeing the film I realized how wrong I was. Bruce Willis is perfect in this role. As well as being strong and witty, he definitely reveals his vulnerability. In Disney's The Kid Willis is required to emit many different emotions, being surprised, scared, inquisitive, shy, sarcastic, sophisticated, intelligent, confident and have the knack for making mistakes. In fact, this could be the best performance of Bruce Willis' career. The casting of the supporting players seemed difficult also; however, Marcia Ross (casting director) was most creative. For Willis' love interest she cast British bom Emily Mortimer whose lovely accent added to her charming attractiveness. The chemistry be-

tween Willis and Mortimer was electric. The scenes between Breslin and Mortimer were equally gentle and convincing. This talented young actress cannot help having her career being expanded. For the role of the wisecracking secretary, who could better play this part than Lily Tomlin? Her comedic timing was uncanny. Not only was she brilliantly funny, but also had the subtlety to sustain her dignity in order to make her a real person instead of a caricature. Jean Smart was cast as one of those eccentric people who is extremely chatty. She is not someone you would like to sit next to on an airplane. Willis unfortunately had this distinguished position. He got her to shut up by giving her tips on how to change her acrid personality. Later her alluring alteration was so believable. So, not only was the story powerful and intriguing, the fantastic cast put over this exciting movie. This is a film kids could watch as well as adults. It is so easy to identify with the well written and defined characters created by

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Audrey Wells. entirely forgotten when Oscar It is also easy to predict time pops up. And that would that this delicious film will be be a shame. It is pure magic.

Observation

Continued from prev. page He acknowledges that the new role of faith-based organizations is controversial, but he sees no problem with it. He says clients are told by the courts or by the system that they must have home-based services, for example. "They get to choose whom they would have do those home based services. Nothing is foisted on anybody. They have a choice. They're never just given to a faith-based program without choosing one," he says. He operates from his Christian faith, but does not use it to proselytize, he insists. A recent NUVO Newsweekly article about him quoted him as saying that therapy time "should not be misused as an evangelical pulpit; or a pulpit of any kind." The Jewish community, locally and nationally, is suspicious of such arrangements, however, questioning whether they harm both government and religion in the long run. Not every faithbased group will find it easy to refrain from proselytizing. And there are questions about their exemption from laws that require other organizations to make no religious discrimination in hiring. A federal lawsuit has al-

ready been filed against a faith-based program in Texas. It may be years before that lawsuit and the controversy over government funding of faith-based services reaches a conclusion. Meanwhile, we can be aware that organizations like Smith's are already at work in our community and can observe whether their practices match their presumptive non-preachments.

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