Plot Details: This opinion reveals no details about the movie's plot.

Note: I do not like revealing major plot details in my movie reviews. As usual, this review will contain no more than minor details regarding the plot.

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town is a heart-wrenching feel good movie that covers some very difficult topics. This movie does not shy away from topics that provoke strong feelings. The story revolves around the child actors who deliver excellent performances that do the exceptional writing justice.

The Plot contains many sub-plots and storylines that keep the movie moving along. Even the detail to microscopic sub-plots, such as: "Why does the town drunk drink so much?" These small details throughout the movie add depth to the interesting cast of characters. The plot might be your typical "child hero" type plot, but it is not simplistic. The tough topics that they tackle in this movie contain themes that most child films would not go after. This movie is based on the book by Kimberly Willis Holt, adapted to screenplay by John Schultz. The success of this movie relies heavily on the writing, which is nothing short of phenomenal. Kimberly Willis Holt won the 1999 National Book award for fiction for this book.

The Casting and Acting support the superb writing. Jonathan Lipnicki is cast as Toby Wilson who struggles both with and against his best friend Cal, played by Cody Linley. They have a tremendous conflict near the end of the film that I won't discuss for the sake of not revealing major details. They also work together to help another child the same age as them, who is a sideshow act. He is touted as the world's largest boy. This part is played by Sasha Neulinger, who was young Hal in the movie Shallow Hal. These young actors get into and out of trouble together throughout this movie. They have good chemistry. The only weak point in the casting is Cody Linley, who I feel overplays his part a little bit a few times during this movie. That should probably be expected considering the subject matter which must be hard for a twelve year old to grasp.

There was nothing memorable to me about the soundtrack, nor the camera work. It was fairly typical for a kid/family flick. The shots were pretty straightforward, and the soundtrack non-descript. There were some artistic touches that used imagery to set mood, like a particular shot of a broken rose stem. I have not read the book, but that shot sounds like the type of imagery that might have come straight from the book. The imagery and artistic aspects of filming weren't really required, considering the strong story and acting.

There was very little in the way of Special Effects in this film. One of the few special effects that was integral to the film was the costume for the fat boy. It was an obvious costume that worked okay for the film, but you could tell was fake. The worst case of this was during a water scene, where the padding was noticeable. There were no action sequences other than a bicycle chase with a fairly obvious "fall down" accident that looks as staged as it is. Other than that, there are no distracting scenes with unnecessary special effects.

My Overal Impression of this film is favorable. I watched it first on On Demand. My nine-year-old watches this film quite a bit. I'm certain he has watched it at least ten times. I'm not the type of viewer to watch a movie more than once (unless, like No Country For Old Men. I feel like I may have missed important themes. This is a feel-good movie, but it deals with mature subject matter. I would highly recommend this movie, giving it four stars out of a possible five.

This review is part of Dianapinions Best Little Write Off.


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12