The Mighty

Cincinnati: Maxwell (Henson) has a hard time at school because he's huge for his age and his dad's in jail for murder. Kevin (Culkin) has it even worse, since a degenerative disease has left him hunchbacked and on crutches. Inspired by Kevin's love of Arthurian legend, they venture forth with Maxwell carrying his new chum around on his shoulders. Sounds heartwarming, yet the combination of not one but two children triumphing over harsh news from the doctors seems like a terribly calculated assault on our emotions. Chelsom struggles to make it quirky, but the mush factor remains. Good work from the two boys, though (especially Culkin jr), classy support from Rowlands and Stone as grandma and mom respectively. From the novel Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick.