This is a delightful film, set in Chicago in the mid-'70s, about a 9-year-old Irish Catholic boy, Pete (played by Adi Stein), who takes it upon himself one Summer to "convert" a Jewish person. In the process he meets the bemused local Rabbi, setting up a lemonade stand in front of the Synagogue, and, through a series of coincidences meets and targets the Rabbi's 8-year-old son Danny (Mike Weinberg, who played Kevin in the recent Home Alone 4), who has some form of cancer. They become friends and Pete sets up a series of arbitrary tests for Danny to achieve "conversion," with varied reactions from both families, the Priest, and others. There are a few subplots involving family dynamics, the most important being Pete's older brother's desire to go to college against their dad's adamant opposition; these all get weaved together within the main story in ways that I found totally credible (coincidences DO happen!)
Those who didn't like this film perhaps missed the through-a-child's-eye perspective on issues such as religious division; that in the greater scheme of things relationships, not dogma, are what need to be worshipped -- anything else is perhaps the REAL "child's play/boys and their toys."
Adi Stein and Mike Weinberg were first-rate (I congratulate the casting director on "the boy next door" choices); it was at times apparent they were being directed, but one often got the feeling of "being there/observing actual events" in the interactions between the two boys. Same -- even more so -- with the interactions within Pete's family -- VERY REAL.
Ryan Kelley(I), I believe, who has a re-occuring role in t.v.'s Smallville, played Pete's slightly older brother (11 or 12?), Seamus.
Stolen Summer was the result of Project Greenlight -- a national script-writing contest to discover new writing/directing talent.
********1/2 for the boys
*******1/2 for the movie
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