This movie has formula written all over it. While it may never be a boring movie, it's not very fresh or subtle. We know Crowley and Stonehill will argue, we know there will be a happy ending, and we also know Keri Russell isn't given much to do, and will be caught in the middle. She will also be upset with her husband for not telling her about his trip to Nebraska (actually, I didn't see that part coming, maybe because his leaving wasn't that obvious). And we also know John has to rush to his daughter's birthday party. About the only scenes that come close to being fresh is when John Crowley is in the park, helping some other kid in a wheelchair feed the ducks, and when there's a power shut-down in Dr, Stonehill's lab, or when Crowley is caught stealing from a supply room (something that's never really explained). It seems to me this movie is more concerned with medical research itself, than with the two kids or the disease. There's no emotional truth to it, or for that matter, any insights. And we don't really feel any sympathy for these kids, because they don't seem to have any feelings about their illnesses, other than that they know they're sick. Fortunately, the movie isn't sentimental.
**1/2 out of ****
**1/2 out of ****