One of my favorite things to do in the evening is sit back, relax, and watch the previews on Pay Per View and make a list of the movies or shows I want to see later. I often find gems that didn’t make it to the mainstream theater or were gone before I could get there. One of those gems is Nim’s Island, which is a half-fantasy/half-reality modern day version of Swiss Family Robinson with a twist.
An eleven-year-old girl named Nim, played by the quirky Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine), lives on a deserted volcanic island in the South Pacific with her marine scientist father (played by the adorable Irish hunk Gerard Butler, who starred with Hilary Swank in P.S. I Love You—another film that I loved). After Nim’s mother (also a scientist) was swallowed by a big whale, Nim’s father created a special world on an uncharted island. Nim was a baby when this happened, so her mother is mostly a legend. Her friends include a pelican named Galileo, a sea lion, and an adorable lizard who rides on her shoulder everywhere. The animals are a lot like Lassie in their ability to know what’s going on. (Remember—this is a fantasy/reality blend). Nim is home-schooled, and she and her dad—and the animals—are very happy together.
Every month or so, a supply boat comes near the island and Nim and her father sail out to meet it. They don’t want anyone discovering their magical island. The supply boat always drops off the latest adventure story by writer Alex Rover. Nim consumes these stories with gusto, imagining the action hero in vivid detail before going to bed at night.
One day, Nim’s father reluctantly agrees to let her remain alone on the island. When a storms sweeps through the area, and Nim fears her father has been lost at sea, she turns to Alex Rover for help. We soon find out that Alex Rover is actually an agoraphobic writer and germaphobe who is afraid to leave her San Francisco apartment—the complete opposite of the swashbuckling hero of Alex Rover’s books (and Nim’s imagination). The role of Alex is performed to perfection by Jody Foster. And that’s all I’m going to tell you.
What I especially loved about this movie is the accuracy with which it portrayed the skill, outspokenness, and spirit of eleven-year-old Nim—a girl who is a lot like many girls of that age. This would be an ideal movie to watch with school age children and especially with a daughter or niece. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it by myself (along with my cat Buddy)! My CEO of Everything, Diane, rented it the next night. And she loved it too.
If you’re looking for something fun and uplifting to the eyes and the heart or a great family movie, I highly recommend Nim’s Island.
