**1/2 of ****
Rated: PG
Length: 87 minutes
Writer & Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast:
Joseph Cross: Joshua A. Beal
Timothy Reifsnyder: Dave O'Hara
Dana Delany: Mrs. Beal
Denis Leary: Mr. Beal
Robert Loggia: Grandpa Beal
Rosie O'Donnell: Sister Terry
Camryn Manheim: Sister Sophia
Julia Stiles: Neena Beal

Synopsis:
A 5th grader at a Catholic school whose close grandfather has just passed away want to find proof of God so much that he doesn't realize he already has it.

Review:
The superficial normalcy of this story will throw people off, but it makes for the telling of a greater Truth. The scenes are well placed and filmed to give this movie the feel of being genuine. The family is an ordinary functional family going on about the business of living their lives, and that is something unusual in the entertainment industry. The emphasis on the ordinary is effectively used to show the boy on his journey of revelation as he goes through 5th grade interacting with normal kids having their own typical personalities. The flashback sequences are well edited in to solidify the story with out creating an unneeded interruption.

The direction is steady, and the pace keeps things moving at a slow but appropriate level. Joseph Cross does a good job of making his character believable. He takes us into his 5th grade world without it being childish. O'Donnel has fun as the baseball fanatic Nun, and isn't offensive. Julia Stiles plays the big sister well with a believable mix of caring and torment. She appears to be looking at the camera instead of Delany during the second diner scene, but it is so consistent that it is probably a direction error. The friend, the bully, and the other students portray their roles believably, and set the foundation for solving the quest. The parents slip into their roles and don't throw off the balance of the story. This movie is ultimately good, but boring. The writing is well done, and it is worth watching as long as you're not expecting any major on screen events.