Stolen Summer

Released 2002
Stars Aidan Quinn, Bonnie Hunt, Adi Stein, Kevin Pollak, Mike Weinberg, Brian Dennehy, Eddie Kay Thomas
Directed by Pete Jones
Cinematography by Peter Biagi

This movie is way better than I expected. In fact, I liked it a lot. I enjoyed it as much as the HBO series Project Greenlight, which should be required viewing in all film schools. It's an invaluable behind-the-scenes look at the process of shooting a movie, and it's very entertaining. From the series, the movie looks like it's going to be a disaster, but it comes together beautifully. It tells the story of Joe (Aidan Quinn) and Margaret (Bonnie Hunt) O'Malley, and their eight kids--especially Pete (Adi Stein) and Patrick (Eddie Kay Thomas). As a result of being repeatedly told he's going to hell by his nun schoolteacher, Pete decides to go on a quest to help Jewish people get to Heaven. He reasons some of the Catholic Saints were sainted because they converted Jews, so that must be his ticket as well.

Summary by Bill Alward, April 15, 2003

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