Genre: Drama

Director: Barnet Bain

Cast: Donald Sutherland, Michelle Rodriguez, Mia Kirshner, David Sutcliffe, and William Ainscough.

Studio: Momentum Pictures

Runtime: 88 Minutes

Release:  In Theaters September 30, 2016.

Rated: PG

Rating ★★★★★

Don’t worry, be happy. A simple phrase but one that people need to be reminded of from time to time. At least that seems to be the main takeaway from Milton’s Secret, a family drama directed by Barnet Bain based on the book of the same name.

Eleven-year-old Milton (William Ainscough) feels like his world is crashing down around him. His parents’ constant stress about finances, and the neighborhood bully who keeps tormenting him, cause him to be in a constant state of worry. But after Howard (Donald Sutherland), his grandfather, comes to visit, Milton learns instead of worrying about the past, or the future, it’s best to try to find happiness in the moment.

I’m not that big a fan of sentimental family dramas. I find them a bit too sappy and sweet for my taste. And while Milton’s Secret is a little too melodramatic, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Ainscough gives one of the better performances for a child I’ve seen in recent memory. His performance is one that is surprisingly mature and subtle in the emotions he portrays. Hopefully, he continues to hone his talents in the future.

Sutherland is an absolute joy to watch. He does a great job portraying Howard as charming and likeable. You can tell Sutherland is having a fun time with his performance. He and Ainscough have great chemistry and the moments these two share together onscreen are the biggest highlights of Milton’s Secret. Without a doubt, Sutherland and Ainscough carry this film.   

The problems with Milton’s Secret all originate from the script. The film is sweet and harmless but it gets a bit too much in its innocence. The children in the film are a bit too clean in the way they speak, especially the bully, Carter (Percy Hynes White). Many kids are loud and rude, so I find it hard to believe the worst insult Carter has for Milton is “Milly-Willy.”

The pacing of Milton’s Secret seems to be on the slow side; with the film being only 88 minutes, Milton’s Secret feels more like two hours. Unfortunately, the combination of characters and scenes not adding anything to the story drag the movie to a crawl.  A second trip through the editing room to remove unnecessary subplots would have helped quicken the pace of Milton’s Secret.

Despite this, there’s a certain charm that makes the movie likeable. With excellent performances and a nice soundtrack of classic rock tunes, Milton’s Secret is one the whole family can enjoy.

Find Milton’s Secret on social media at

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MiltonsSecretMovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/miltonssecret

Photo: ©2016 Momentum Pictures. All Rights Reserved