"When I Grow Up" is a nice family film that might be nice to watch with your kids. It's got a lot to say about childhood...but even more about proper parenting.
The story begins with a mother and father jumping to conclusions about their son after a neighbor comes and tells them that Danny is an evil jerk-face. But Danny seems like a very decent kid, and the 'evil' that he supposedly did was actually standing up for a small kid being bullied by a much bigger kid. When Danny intervened, the bully brought his gang back...and they were driven away by Danny and his small friend. So, the bully told his mom that he was being bullied by Danny...and the stupid mother verbally berates Danny's mom...and Danny, without even listening to her son, assumes the worst. Danny's father isn't any better and it seems like both parents use the notion "spare the rod..." but don't consider any other option!
After Danny's mom berates Grandpa (wow is this a nasty family), Grandpa considers running away...and he remembers a time when he was a kid and he wanted to run away as well...running away and joining the circus. Where does it all go from there, see the film.
The story is very sentimental and has a lot to say about good parenting...something sadly lacking in the parents in the film. It also has a lot to say about understanding, love and forgiveness. It's a very old fashioned sort of tale...but very well told and never dull. Well worth seeing.
By the way, while Bobby Discoll was wonderful playing both Danny and his grandfather, it's sad for me to watch him due to Discoll's very abbreviated adulthood. Sad...very sad.
The story begins with a mother and father jumping to conclusions about their son after a neighbor comes and tells them that Danny is an evil jerk-face. But Danny seems like a very decent kid, and the 'evil' that he supposedly did was actually standing up for a small kid being bullied by a much bigger kid. When Danny intervened, the bully brought his gang back...and they were driven away by Danny and his small friend. So, the bully told his mom that he was being bullied by Danny...and the stupid mother verbally berates Danny's mom...and Danny, without even listening to her son, assumes the worst. Danny's father isn't any better and it seems like both parents use the notion "spare the rod..." but don't consider any other option!
After Danny's mom berates Grandpa (wow is this a nasty family), Grandpa considers running away...and he remembers a time when he was a kid and he wanted to run away as well...running away and joining the circus. Where does it all go from there, see the film.
The story is very sentimental and has a lot to say about good parenting...something sadly lacking in the parents in the film. It also has a lot to say about understanding, love and forgiveness. It's a very old fashioned sort of tale...but very well told and never dull. Well worth seeing.
By the way, while Bobby Discoll was wonderful playing both Danny and his grandfather, it's sad for me to watch him due to Discoll's very abbreviated adulthood. Sad...very sad.