Mr. Rice's Secret (2000)

This film had potential, but I, and I suspect those involved in making it, really have no idea who it was actually aimed at.Simplified too much to appeal to more mature kids (of all ages), too much involvement from rather cardboard parents for any escapism, the moralizing getting in the way of the story too much for younger kids and too obvious for older ones, the "puzzles" far too simply solved.Overall, far too much certainty. For a movie with this kind of story to succeed, I think a lot more ambiguity and uncertainty is required - hints at what's going on, who the characters are, and what's going to happen, rather than great big illuminated signposts. It could probably do with taking itself rather more seriously, too.I only find myself wondering how they managed to string it out for so long.

Mr. Bowie's first few attempts at acting were stiff. Absolute Beginners was more like a music video than a dramatic story. Although I own and enjoy Labyrinth, I was hoping to see him in something better than a cartoon character. His bid for the Elf king was not unwelcome in my view, though he was a little old for the part at the time. This film shows his mysterious persona at it's best. He seems to be the person he is playing. I do not want to spoil the story for any "new viewers", so I will not give specific details. The treasure hunt provides intrigue for the viewer and a sorely needed diversion for a desperate child at the end of all hope. The ending satisfies any sentimental person. I would buy this film if I found it on DVD.

I rented it for Bowie. He had about 5 minutes of screen time, tops. It was like an after school tv special with cussing, vomit, boogers, grave digging, and violence against children with cancer thrown in for added viewing pleasure.One moment you're looking at cute middle class kids playing street hockey and the next scene, you're watching them kick a chemotherapy patient repeatedly in the kidneys.Perhaps I missed the point.

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** This is one of the worst films ever. The dialogue, acting, and direction are all appalling, but the real problems lie in the story and logic. First of all, no kid in the world would beat up a friend because they had cancer, or shout "Hey Cancer!" at them. Not unless the attackers were seriously disturbed, although after living through the event in this film they probably would be. Think about it. Why would Bowie's character live in a small canadian suburb if he really was a super being? Why would the boy develop a suspiciously close and secretive relationship with a strange reclusive man? Why would bowie's supply of magic potion ("I cannot tell you where or how I got this" why? because the writers couldn't be bothered to think it out) suddenly begin to run out at the moment the boy turns up? What boy in their right mind would secretly film the funeral, and then actually dig up the grave of a weird stranger purely on a hint of a hunch. And what kind of kids would be so easily and casually persuaded to go along with grave digging and corpse tampering? The "clues" which lead to the by discovering the potion are oblique and ambiguous to say the least. And the whole treasure hunt which involves gravedigging, breaking and entering and a whole load of other stuff leads the boys to the house where they started! With no appreciable purpose for the whole thing! Why didn't Mr rice just POST them the letter? And what the hell was with the Undertaker? He really DID want the boy to die so he could get his body?!? Why?? It doesn't make sense. I feel dizzy now thinking about it. Why David, Why? Watch this film, if only because you have to see it to belive that this is a mainstream kids film.