Jill Hennessy Movie:

Editorial Review:
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

Molly [Region 2] Reviews:
Elizabeth Shue Delivers A Great Performance As The Loveable Molly McKay
2008-09-14 - "Molly" is one of those rare film treats that I happened to watch and ask myself, "Where was I when this movie was released in the theatres? Why haven`t I seen it before?" "Molly" is a sweet, romantic comedy that will make you laugh and cry.

Elizabeth Shue ("The Saint" and "Cocktail") stars as Molly McKay, a beautiful, young woman with autism. Her learning comprehension seems to be that of a five year old. When her care facility closes, Molly is forced to live with her workaholic brother, Buck (Aaron Eckhart of "The Dark Knight" and "No Reservations"), who has only visited her at Christmas. He has always been ashamed of her.

Revolutionary brain surgery gives Molly a chance at living a normal life. After the operation, she begins learning rapidly until she begins speaking and acting like a normal person. Unfortunately, like the potion in a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde film, the procedure begins reversing itself. Molly is heartbroken. She is fearful of losing the strong bonds she has developed between her friend Sam (Thomas Jane of "The Mist" and "The Punisher") and her brother Buck.

Elizabeth Shue delivers a believable performance as an autistic person. We watch her transform from an unpredictable, out-of-control child to an emotionally stable, mature adult. Unfortunately, we experience her pain as we watch her reverse back to her original state. The other cast members deliver great performances as well.

"Molly" is a must see for fans of romantic comedies. A gorgeous cast, beautiful sets, a touching storyline, and a great musical score all combine to give us an enchanting experience. You won't want to miss Molly McKay. You'll want to embrace her, hold her close to your heart, and never let her go. I am so glad I found this film.


You will see Elisabeth Shue's butt
2006-12-09 - Lets cut to the chase: in this movie, Elisabeth Shue appears naked.

Five stars.

A "What If" Story
2006-08-27 - Elizabeth Shue stars as and in "Molly", a rather unique film about autism.

Buck has a sister that he rarely visits. She's autistic, and has been looked after by an institution ever since her parents died. Well, Buck has to visit her when this institution closes down, more than that, he'll have to look after her from now on. Initially, Buck finds her and her habits to be frustrating and embarassing, but he soon warms to her. Soon after, he finds out about a brand new operation, one that could and does change Molly's life forever. It's an operation that alters Molly's mind, so that she can communicate and learn more or less just like other people. Will it change her life? Will it change how people think of her? Will it last?

It's a bit like how science-fiction used to be. Rather than all space, time travel and parallel universes, it asks a "what if?". What if science could "cure" autism? How would the patient act? How would they feel about their new way of life? How would they learn? How would their relationships change? What would they tell you about their experiences? It's these concepts and questions the film explores, and I found it interesting. I quite liked how Elizabeth Shue played Molly as well. I thought the change after the surgery was a little sudden, perhaps, but apart from that, I thought it was pretty engaging.

Worth a look. Funny, touching, and fascinating, I thought.

ELISABETH SHUE IS MOLLY!!!
2006-07-17 - Elisabeth Shue gives a fantastic performance in this film!
It is a touching film about autism and it's effects on members of the family!!
This movie has humor in it, as well as keeping a serious tone about it!!
I truly enjoyed the performances from all involved in this film!! See it at all cost!!


No stars.
2006-07-02 - This piece of nonsense is so badly scripted, directed and acted, that its misportrayal of autism and its phony-baloney "cure" (the operation doesn't just change her into a neurotypical, it makes her a genius?!) are liable to be ridiculed rather than taken seriously. You'd do better to go back and watch "Charly", from which the premise of this film was lifted, rather than waste 90 minutes of your life on this mess.

Dismissing it as a farce, though, creates its own difficulties. There are people right now raising huge amounts of money hoping to invent and sell a cure for autism. In fact, they've already claimed to have developed some allegedly medical treatments that "reverse" autism. They're selling parents a bill of goods, and doing irreparable damage (and death, in some cases) to autistic children with their so-called therapies.

Do a google search on "autism a way of life", "autism diva" or "ballastexistenz" and read their blogs, if you want to learn more. For a realistic look at autism, try Stillman's "Demystifying the Autistic Experience", Miller's "Women from Another Planet" or Collins' "Not Even Wrong."