Director: Arthur Allan Seidelman

Writer: Paul Tamasy (screenplay)

From novel by: Clyde Edgerton

Keywords: Drama

Name	Occupation	Birth	Death	Known for
Ellen Burstyn	Actor	7-Dec-1932		Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Mark Hamill	Actor	25-Sep-1951		Luke Skywalker in Star Wars
Edward Herrmann	Actor	21-Jul-1943	31-Dec-2014	Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls
Dana Ivey	Actor	12-Aug-1942		Eleanor Standard on Easy Street
Gail O'Grady	Actor	23-Jan-1963		American Dreams
Harve Presnell	Actor	14-Sep-1933	30-Jun-2009	When the Boys Meet the Girls
Judge Reinhold	Actor	21-May-1957		Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Jonathan Taylor Thomas	Actor	8-Sep-1981		Randy on Home Improvement
Gwen Verdon	Dancer	16-Jan-1925	18-Oct-2000	Damn Yankees

REVIEWS

Review by anonymous (posted on 6-Jul-2005)

This is a terrific little film about a sixteen year old boy Wesley (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) who is befriended by an elderly woman Mattie (Ellen Burtsyn) who teaches him the vaule of honesty and sincerity in life. Mattie is about to be placed in an old age home by her daughter who is dismayed about Mattie's prospects in life. Mattie considers herself too old to keep even a dog and so gives it to the local dog catcher played by Mark Hamil. This dog catcher's newphew is Wesley, a troubled young man in reform school because of a stolen car. Inspired by a Sunday sermon, Mattie goes to the Young Men's Rehabilitation Center to give Wesley a piece of pound cake and iced tea. Touched by the sudden kindness, Wesley calls Mattie his grandmother. Wesley soon gets into a fight with a mean young con named Johnny who of course insults Wesley's grandmother and who goes into the hole on the strength of Wesley's lie. Wesley decides this seems a good time to split the reform school. He goes to his uncle's house in yet another stolen car and follows his uncle to Mattie's with whom he spends first a meal, then more time. Mattie's family and friends start to worry about the young intruder. Mattie's gentle kindness eventually serves to convert Wesley into a kinder, more honest boy. The chemistry between Wesley and Mattie is magical. Ellen Burstyn is a great actress and Jonathan Taylor Thomas is fine as Wesley. The ensemble cast is also very good. I like Judge Reinhold and Mark Hamil and like to see that they are still working. Gwen Verdon and Harve Presnell are also good as the next door neighbors who are concerned about Mattie. This is a worthwhile movie.

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