'Curly Sue'

 

‘Curly Sue’ By Rita Kempley Washington Post Staff Writer October 25, 1991

Director: John Hughes Cast: James Belushi; Kelly Lynch; Alisan Porter; John Getz; Fred Dalton Thompson Parental guidance suggested

John Hughes serves up more of the usual mush in "Curly Sue," a homeless poster-child movie that doesn't just tug at our heartstrings, it stretches them plumb out of commission. Hughes, who wrote, directed and produced this altruistic marmalade, apparently means it as a new age Little Orphan Annie.

The intensely cherubic Alisan Porter plays the spunky Curly Sue, a 9-year-old orphan who lives on the road with her vagabond guardian, Bill Dancer (James Belushi). Maybe they're ragged and funny, but they travel the road sharing their load, side by side.

All that changes when Curly Sue and Bill try to run a harmless scam on a callous Chicago attorney, Grey Allison (Kelly Lynch), whose cold exterior melts quicker than tub butter when she gets to know this 'dorable duo. As time passes -- more slowly than we'd heretofore thought possible -- the three grow into an unconventional but happy family.

In trying to recapture the magic of his last kiddie hit, "Home Alone," Hughes has rustled up pieces of plots from sources as diverse as "Paper Moon," "Baby Boom" and "All Dogs Go to Heaven." It's all a little too familiar somehow, and anyway Hughes should have known you can't go home alone again.

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