This Hallmark Channel TV movie has a decent script, about a New York teenager who is sent to stay with his grandfather to straighten out and does so. Nowadays the movie theaters are full of big spectacles which seem to be all about production values and little about people or story, so efforts like this are welcome, especially as they allow us to see actors who might not be young and beautiful any more, but who can turn in performances ten times as interesting as current movie leads.
It is a pleasure to watch the older actors -- Ed Asner, Rue McClanahan, Ralph Waite and others handle their roles simply and interestingly. However, Alex Black, as the juvenile lead, is a little too nice, his transformation is a little too easy and he spends too much time smiling to put much depth into this effort. Danielle Savre, as the ingénue, though, is excellent.
