My Giant

Michael Lehmann (The Truth About Cats & Dogs) appears to have in mind here the feel-good lesson that quaint foreigners can teach us to stop and smell the roses even as we still benefit from materialism and greed. But what begins as a dumb and lackluster comedy about selfish talent agent Sammy (Billy Crystal), who crashes his car in the countryside of Romania and is saved by the 7'7" giant Max (Washington Wizards Gheorghe Muresan), turns into a tale of human cruelty.

Sammy wants to repay Max for saving his life, but he also wants to cash in on this freak of nature. So he persuades Max to come to America and promises to get him into the movies. Instead Max winds up wrestling dwarfs. Only when Sammy finds out Max is dying from a weak heart does he realize there are more important things in life than getting your giant a deal in a Steven Seagal film (Seagal plays himself). Geared toward kids, this movie won't make the little ones laugh too hard, but that may be its strength. At the Holiday, Showcase, Tri-Boro, and Woonsocket cinemas.

-- Mark Bazer