Just Like the Son

Morgan J. Freeman delivers a heartfelt road movie about twenty yr old small time criminal Daniel (Mark Webber) who drives a 6 yr. old orphan (Antonio Ortiz) across country to reunite the boy with his sister.

Daniel works as a janitor at an elementary school, doing his 240 hrs of community service painting over graffiti and reading to the kids. A bond forms between Daniel and young Boone, a fatherless boy who is about to lose his mom. When Boone is taken to an orphanage, Daniel takes matters into his own hands and drives Boone from NY to FLA, where Boone's sister lives. The pleasures are simple as Daniel and Boone enjoy life on the road. The film has a sweet, dappled 70's vibe as the two camp out, go shopping, and jump on hotel beds. The characters are honestly drawn and memorably portrayed. Webber is especially likable as a young man at the crossroads.

Morgan's previous film, Piggy Banks, is also a road movie, although much different in tone. It's about two young brothers who happen to be serial killers. It's an incredible, tense, enlightening film about a much different kind of life on the road. Freeman has really hit his stride with these two road movies.