Movie Review
Not only is Rob having a hard time at school, partly because of bullies who make fun of the rashes on his legs, but also emotionally because of the recent loss of his mother to cancer.
His life gets a little easier when he meets Sistine (Madalen Mills), a girl who moves into his small town with her mother. He is also at a loss as his parents are separated, although he is still confident that his father will come and take him to a better place.
Sistine also has a hard time at school, although this is mostly due to her attitude toward her peers, whom she considers rednecks. His first day at school gets off to a bad start when he expresses such a sentiment in front of his class.
Sistine and Rob begin to bond when he reveals his love for art, as he also has a special interest in the subject, as you can probably tell from his name. Their relationship is still a little messy due to his obnoxious personality, but as they get to know each other, the barriers begin to fall.
Pretty Friendship
At first, their friendship is pretty sweet and it's fun to see them interact with each other. But this isn't really a movie about childhood gardens. As readers of the book already know, this movie really explores the unhealthiness of keeping your emotions inflated when dealing with grief and great personal trauma.
The themes of grief and death have been played with before in films like Bridge of Terabithia, but this film fails to deal with them effectively. That's not to say it's not worth watching—it's quite enjoyable, despite some critical reviews—but it doesn't handle its themes well enough to make much of an impact.
Of course, you might be wondering where the tiger fits into all of this, especially if you've seen the trailer for the movie. Well, Rob discovers a caged animal while exploring the nearby woods. The tiger is owned by a lecherous man named Beauchamp (Dennis Quaid), who also owns the motel and is his father's grumpy boss.
Beauchamp is a bit of a coward, so he asks Rob to feed the tiger, which he does. The boy develops an emotional attachment to the tiger, even when Sistine later meets him.
It's understandable why children bond with tigers, because they all fall into traps in different ways. The tiger is locked in a cage. Sistine feels trapped in the city. Rob, on the other hand, is at a place in his life where he can't move on because of his suppressed emotions. Many of us may face such challenges because of the metaphorical cages that keep us imprisoned.
At the risk of the animal being on the dinner menu, Rob and Sistine put a plan in motion and release the caged animal. If you have young children watching this with you, they may be a little traumatized by the aftermath.
Adults can also be traumatized, but with the sloppiness of the script as it delivers its message heavily. You see, Rob and Sistine aren't the only tigers who get released as they get a chance to release their bloated emotions. We're back in metaphor territory again.
I haven't read the book, but I'm sure it handles the themes of grief and the need to express emotions better than the movie.
Heavy Subject
The filmmakers can be applauded for trying to tackle such heavy subjects, but the weak script, heavy dialogue and somewhat unconvincing acting undermine what they are trying to achieve. It's a shame, because there are kids around the world who are dealing with loss through death and divorce, and this movie could have been a catalyst for their healing. Of course, from this point of view, the book can probably be recommended.
So here's the thing. The movie is not terrible, but it is very ordinary. It might be recommended to families looking for something to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but despite its potential, it won't offer anything life-changing. Try it, especially if you have kids, but have a few tissues handy because you might end up with a few tears.
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