Abigail Breslin of ''Little Miss Sunshine'' and former child star Jodie Foster swing into their reversed roles in ''Nim’s Island.'' (Courtesy photo)

By Bob Polunsky
Movie Critic
 
“Nim’s Island” co-stars child star Abigail Breslin of “Little Miss Sunshine” and former child star Jodie Foster, a casting decision designed to reach both teen and older age groups.

Nim (Breslin) and her scientist father (Gerard Butler) live on a colorful desert island with only animals for companions. When Nim wants human companionship, she reads adventure novels by her favorite author, Alex Rover. 

What Nim doesn’t know is that author Alex Rover’s real name is Alexandra Rover. She uses her nickname for her fictional hero to hide her identity because her agoraphobia makes her feel insecure. She doesn’t want her readers to know about it so she uses her fictional hero’s name as a cover-up.

Nim’s idealism and security are also threatened when her father disappears. She panics when he doesn’t come home. She knows she needs help, but the only person she knows – or feels she knows – is her favorite author, Alex Rover. Surely someone so obviously familiar with exciting adventures would know what to do, so she writes Rover and asks for help.

Nim’s attitude and actions are similar to those teenaged characters used in movies made in the past with uncomplicated characters like ”The Hardy Boys” and “Nancy Drew” series. Their movies provided teenaged moviegoers to feel good about themselves because they could easily identify with the characters.

The big difference between those movies and “Nim’s Island” is that it takes two different age groups to get the point across today when characters are more complex. As a result, two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster plays a helpless adult and much younger Abigail Breslin plays the go-getter who takes charge of the plot.

Foster uses her comedy talents to make author Alex Rover look and act funny, and she rarely has that opportunity in her films. Co-starring with an apparently innocent child gives Foster a chance to share the spotlight and still get some laughs on her own. It’s easy to laugh with her instead of at her, thanks to her co-star’s clever ways of balancing their act.

Breslin’s actions and reactions are similar to those that Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys used in their movies about teenaged heroes and heroines during a simpler age. As they performers grew older, they outgrew their screen images. They had to look for bigger and better film roles to establish themselves as mature performers, and few of them made the grade.

Their legacy of youthful confidence still crops up occasionally to remind us how aspiring young players got into the spotlight in those days. “Nim’s Island” is a good example of Abigail Breslin’s attempt to get the most out of youthful characterizations, and she makes the most of it by using Jodie Foster as a sounding board.

The movie reaches its peak when Nim meets Alexandra Rover and convinces her to help her find her father. Both Nim and Alexandra are frightened and show it. To the movie’s credit, neither of them is adversely affected and neither is the plot. It’s a feel-good movie because both leading ladies have a sense of humor when they roll with the punches. Their acting and their attitude make outlandish situations and scenery-chewing performers look normal enough to be entertaining.  Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys would understand and be pleased.

Today’s audiences will probably laugh in spite of the old-fashioned acting because the performers are talented enough to be convincing. 

Gerard Butler adds to the humor when he teases Nim with pep talks that turn into challenges. Alex Rover helps her develop her imagination while Alexandra Rover sees what she’s missed in her own life. So everybody wins before all is said and done.
 
Studio rating: PG-13
Bob says: “Nancy Drew lives and Abigail Breslin knows it!” 
2 1/2 Stars