Movie Review: “Milton’s Secret” Delivers But Ultimately Underwhelms

[yasr_overall_rating]
 

A young boy becomes the victim of bullying at his school.

It’s still September as of this writing, which means that “back to school” remains somewhat in vogue. This means, of course, that there is no better time to debut a film about an awkward middle schooler with an unenviable home life. After all, who can’t relate? Even if your childhood was picturesque, the ages between twelve and fourteen are a pubescent hell that no sane person would want to return to. “Milton’s Secret” is relatable enough – it’s based off a book, and the characters exude an originality that confirms this. The cast is anchored by Donald Sutherland, a Hollywood veteran. He lends a sorely needed gravitas to the film and is the reason that it is able to keep its head above water.

The titular Milton (William Ainscough), adolescent protagonist, is the victim of a trifecta of angst: he is being bullied at school, his parents are economically insecure and on the verge of divorce, and he is deeply insecure in his personal relationships. He is also obsessed with using medieval alchemy techniques to create gold, a direct result of his family’s financial stress. Milton also has a requited crush that he cannot bring himself to act on, and a best friend who wilts in the face of any sort of pressure from Milton’s bully. Essentially, it is a cocktail for teenage malaise. However, everything in young Milton’s life is turned on its head when his bohemian grandfather (Sutherland) arrives to spend time with the family in lieu of Milton’s birthday, teaching him about living in the moment and confronting his fears head on.

“Milton’s Secret” is, at its core, a charming story. I don’t want to misrepresent that. However, it remains deeply flawed and fails to live up to its full potential. Milton is a sympathetic figure but shows a rather shallow evolution over the course of the story arc, and is really not terribly interesting to begin with. Sutherland delivers his performance with his usual grace, but often seems like an ill-conceived caricature of a converted Buddhist. His offered wisdom is Yoda-like in its opaqueness, but is never delivered in a way that reveals its usefulness. Additionally, Milton’s bully (Percy White) is given the standard “my dad is a bigger bully” backstory, which does little to add to his character’s worth. A bright spot is the portrayal of Milton’s parents. While they are as broken and uncertain as their son, and commit numerous parental faux pas, it is clear that they are motivated by familial love and a desire to do the right thing. Too often, movie parents are portrayed as totally incompetent buffoons rather than real human beings learning the ropes as they go. “Milton’s Secret” does not make that mistake.

In my experience, films adapted from books rarely ever surpass the source material in quality and believability. I have not read “Milton’s Secret,” but I am willing to bet that it is not an exception to the previously stated rule. The cinematic version really offers nothing special. The characters are mostly forgettable, as is the plot – we’ve seen all of this before. Aesthetically, the film is quite pleasing, but that cannot account for its lack of substance. It is difficult to really connect with what is happening onscreen, and this is “Milton’s” fatal flaw. It is a valiant effort that falls short, but cannot overcome its own defects.

In theaters, VOD & Digital HD Friday, September 30th