Millions (2005)

Millions is a delightful modern morality play led by the pure-hearted, naive Damian (Alex Etel, age "5") who sees and speaks with saints in his everyday life and his cogent, practical brother Anthony (Lewis Owen McGibbon, presumably age "9") who is both protective and problematic. After discovering a suitcase full of money that "fell from heaven" onto the boys' cardboard-shanty playhouse near the train tracks, Damian wants to give it to "the poor" while his brother wants to spend it to their advantage. Damian needs Anthony to help preserve the secrecy and to keep him from being taken advantage of, but each boy's every decision carries consequences that must inevitably compound, involving their parents, a trusted adult, a sinister figure who is seeking the stash, and potentially the law (here largely absent or inept). The story is beautifully and artistically filmed, the acting is spot-on excellent, and the exposition is creative and often whimsical. The scenes of Damian speaking with his beloved Catholic saints are precious, as are those of the school's Nativity play, and Damian's relationship with his mother may move you and moisten your eyes. This is a wonderful morality tale and a family film (so long as yours is not a *moralistic* family that wants to keep its children from the mention that mothers have nipples and breastfeed their babies). Five stars.