The Mighty
| The Mighty | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Chelsom |
| Written by | Rodman Philbrick |
| Produced by | Bob Weinstein Harvey Weinstein |
| Starring | Sharon Stone Gena Rowlands Gillian Anderson Harry Dean Stanton Kieran Culkin James Gandolfini Elden Henson |
| Edited by | Martin Walsh |
| Music by | Trevor Jones |
| Distributed by | Miramax Films Scholastic |
Release date | October 9, 1998 |
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100,000 [citation needed] |
| Box office | $2,652,246 |
The Mighty is a 1998 comedy-drama film based on the book Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick.
Plot
Kevin (Kieran Culkin) was 12-year-old boy suffers Mucopolysaccharidosis IV, or Morquio syndrome. He is extremely intelligent and prone to flights of fancy. Max (Elden Henson) is an oversized boy suffering from dyslexia. He has flunked the seventh grade twice and is tormented by Blade, a teenage gang leader. When Kevin is assigned as Max's reading tutor, they form a bond of friendship over the similar circumstances they share, such as both being outcasts and their fathers abandoning them. Kevin and Max go to the fireworks and get attacked by Blade and his gang. Kevin then witnesses that same gang of teens putting someone's purse in a sewer later. After Max and Kevin get the purse, they are once again confronted by Blade. They attempt to attack Kevin, but Max stops them. Max then becomes angry and the gang (fearing for their lives) run away. Both Max and Kevin see the purse belongs to a lady named Lorretta Lee. Kevin and Max return the purse to Lorretta (Gillian Anderson) and see that she is married to Iggy Lee (Meat Loaf), a biker gang leader. Lorretta and Iggy learn that Max is the son of the infamous murderer Kenneth "Killer" Kane (James Gandolfini).
On Christmas Eve, Max is kidnapped by his father, who has recently been released from prison. Max is taken to Lorretta's home. Killer Kane tries to murder Lorretta after she attempts to help Max escape, causing Max to remember when Killer Kane killed Max's mother, which was one of the reasons he went to prison in the first place. Kevin then breaks in with a squirt gun and tells Killer Kane that he has sulfuric acid in it. Kevin shoots Killer Kane with the squirt gun and Kane thinks his eyes are burning despite the actually harmless compounds that are in the vial. An angered Killer Kane attempts to attack Kevin. Max reacts and attacks his own father in order to prevent him from harming Kevin. Police come and arrest Kane who was never given a parole again and was sent back to prison. Max and Kevin go home and celebrate Christmas the next week. After exchanging gifts, Kevin gives Max an empty book and tells Max to write in it. The next morning, Max learns that Kevin has died in his sleep, due to cardiac troubles. Max, not bearing to leave his friend, chases the ambulance to the hospital with barefeet. Recalling an earlier conversation with Kevin how he would get a new body from a research center, Max heads there immediately, only to discover that Kevin had lied and the research center is in fact a laundry center. Max breaks down amongst the workers. For the next few weeks, he continues going to school, but spends his spare time locked in his basement. However, after Loretta reminds him that "nothing's a drag", he decides he has to go on, and even works up the courage to answer a question his teacher presents to the class.
Inspired by their bond, Max remembers Kevin and all the adventures they had and he decides to write it all in the empty book. Max eventually gets writers block on the last page so he puts an illustration of King Arthur's grave, which reads, "Here Lies King Arthur, Once and Future King", to symbolize his belief that he will see Kevin again. Max takes the old ornithopter (his mechanical air plane) that belonged to Kevin and he winds it up, making it fly. Max narrates the final sentence, "So now you have heard the story of Freak the Mighty, who slayed dragons, saved maidens, and walked high above the world."
Cast
- Elden Henson as Maxwell "Max" Kane
- Kieran Culkin as Kevin Dillon (Kevin Avery in the book)
- Sharon Stone as Gwen Dillon
- Gena Rowlands as Gram
- Harry Dean Stanton as Grim
- James Gandolfini as Kenny "Killer" Kane
- Gillian Anderson as Loretta Lee
- Meat Loaf as Iggy Lee
- Jenifer Lewis as Mrs. Addison
- Joseph Perrino as Tony D. (Blade)
Reception
The film was a commercial flop, despite receiving mostly positive reviews.