Molly

Imagine experiencing life through the eyes of an innocent child forever. Beautiful and vibrant, Molly McKay might have a mental disability but she's not about to let the world pass her by. Starring Academy AwardÂ(r) nominee* Elizabeth Shue in an inspired performance, Molly is a joyous celebration of the irrepressible human spirit. Autistic since birth, 28-year-old Molly (Shue) isa carefree young woman with an incredible zest for life. Her brother Buck (Aaron Eckhart), a 32-year-old with a full social calendar and a booming career, has had little contact with Molly over the yearsuntil the facility that cares for her closes down. Now it's up to Buck to take his sister in and that's turning into a full-time job! Bold, childlike and very energetic, Molly completely envelops her brother's life and turns his ordered world into chaos. Then, just when Buck is at his wit's end, Molly becomes a candidate for a new medical procedure that could cure her completely but is it worth the risk? Molly sure thinks so'she's ready to experience everything! *1995: Actress, Leaving Las Vegas

The title character of Molly, played by Elisabeth Shue (Oscar nominee for Leaving Las Vegas), suffers from one of those afflictions that are only found in Hollywood movies: she's sort of mentally challenged, sort of autistic--but only enough to give her a childlike appreciation of rhythmic water fountains and The Wizard of Oz. An operation that somehow activates brain cells brings Molly to a more sophisticated level of intelligence, much to the astonishment and joy of her brother Buck (Aaron Eckhart, playing a much more sympathetic character than he did in In the Company of Men). Then, when her brain cell progress becomes threatened for some unclear reason, Molly and Buck are faced with her mental reversal. Aside from being scientifically dubious and somewhat insulting to mentally challenged people and their families, the developing sibling relationship has an emotional pull. Eckhart brings a quiet dignity to his role, lending a bit of realism with his understated performance. Shue, though saddled with an impossible character, has moments of naked emotion that almost make Molly believable. Thomas Jane (Deep Blue Sea), as a medical assistant with a never-explained "learning disability," does all he can with his equally inconsistent part but fares less well. Molly wants to be a combination of Forrest Gump and Flowers for Algernon, movies about discovering the meaning of life through an appreciation of simple things, but falls short. --Bret Fetzer