Touching, moving, sweet, elevating…four adjectives I have never used together to describe a single film since I began reviewing movies thirteen years ago. “Children on Their Birthdays,” based on a short story by Truman Capote, is a rare gem that deserves all four. This Capra-esque film portrays common folks in small town, post-war USA who prove themselves capable of uncommon excellence, when challenged by the powerful opposing forces of unconditional love and abject greed. Douglas Sloan’s screenplay skillfully explores all types of interpersonal relationships between adolescents and adults, ranging from sexual, to social, to racial. Under the capable direction of Mark Medoff, the story is executed in a clever and compelling way that makes its point without offending viewers. Faith and values are the key messages that emanate from “Children on Their Birthdays.” My only regret is that we must travel back to a time prior to 1960 to find these social mores credible in our society.
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