This movie was worth-watching. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. Just as young Walter (Haley Joel Osment) gets to know his great uncles (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall), we are introduced to this pair of "Secondhand Lions". Just as Walter learns to trust these two eccentric strangers after a lifetime of lies from his untrustworthy mother, we are allowed to learn the lessons of life in pace with him. There are no plot tricks, just eye-widening revelations as the story unfolds at a satisfying pace.
This is not a small quiet story, however. There is the rumor of a hidden fortune of which, it seems, everyone from relatives to traveling salesmen has heard. There are hints that it was obtained through the uncles' adventures but also that it might be ill-gotten gains. Along with Walter, the audience discovers the truth of the rumor.
There is action, comedy, danger, acts of courage, defiance, and tragedy that is part of human frailty. It's wonderfully accomplished in a way that allows older children to enjoy it with their parents. You have characters with whom you can identify no matter what your stage in life.
The director skillfully weaves the past and the present and still manages to preserve the confirmation of story until the very end. I don't want to say too much about this movie or it will spoil the fun of experiencing/watching it. Don't miss this movie.
