Foster (2011) Rating: 3 / 5 "It's all about Maurice Cole"

Copyright SC Films

Foster alone without Maurice Cole is not so good. Let me tell you, this kid is absolutely brilliantly amazing. Foster is about a grieving parents thinking of adopting a child after serious traumatic incident that prevent the wife from having a baby. Well, in fact the main attention of the movie is not really about those grieving parents. Unlike Rabbit Hole 2010 (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart) that bring you along the grieving stage of parents, Foster is focusing on this special character called Eli which is portrayed by brilliant young actor Maurice Cole.  At first, I thought that this is going to be another Rabbit Hole movie that giving you a slow and sad 90 minutes ride, but I was undoubtedly wrong. In fact, Foster character 'Eli' is getting intriguingly interesting as it gets to the end.  However, there is lack of emotional connection of the couples between the audiences, Zooey (Collette)  and Alec (Gruffudd). Besides, the story plot is too simple that I could predict how it is going to end in the first 20 minutes.

Foster doesn't get you deeply into the couples, Zooey and Alec, as I said the main attention on that little character Eli. It is sometime confusing that the writer is trying to show you the sadness of the couple while at the same time having a fun Eli along the movie. At the end, the movie is all about drama comedy unlike Rabbit Hole. I think that Foster must be heavily inspired by Nanny McPhee. I would not tell you much more as it would be a spoiler. The plot of the movie is so simple and I bet that you would have guessed it half way of the movie. Despite the easily predicted ending, Foster gives you an amazing ending. They do know how to finish a story.

Eli requesting CNN Channel

In fact, the story just ordinary. The one that makes this movie different from any other movie is this character Eli. Eli is a boy with a very mature mind. It would be very difficult for a child to portrayed such character, however Cole makes it so easy like a snapped of a finger.  Having to wear a mini suit all the time and talked like an adult, Cole have done a good job for his age. Eli unexpectedly become the foster child of the couples do surely giving Alec a hard time in adjusting at the beginning. Despite the strange feeling, Alec learned a lot from the Eli. The interesting part is when the character Eli asking for a CNN channel and watched it while sipping a mug of milk.

I don't have much to say about Foster. All I can say is that Foster is a good movie for you to spend with your family. After all, it is not the couples you are following, it is Eli. So you won't have to prepare a box of tissue while watching the movie.