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The Boy Who Could Fly

Play trailer Poster for The Boy Who Could Fly PG 1986 1h 48m Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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59% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Kindly adolescent Milly (Lucy Deakins) moves in next door to autistic teen Eric Gibb (Jay Underwood). The mute Eric, whose parents were killed when he was 5 years old, lives with his hard-drinking uncle, Hugo (Fred Gwynne), and is obsessed with birds. His tendency to stand on rooftops and window ledges posed as if he's flying alarms his social workers, but when Eric saves Milly from a potentially deadly fall, she begins to believe that the boy really can take flight.
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The Boy Who Could Fly

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Critics Consensus

Writer-director Nick Castle's careful command of tone keeps The Boy Who Could Fly from fully surrendering to its story's sentimental tendencies.

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Critics Reviews

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Derek Malcolm Guardian The fable just about holds together. At any rate it doesn't have much need of the glue of its soupy score. But you know Hollywood. We need to have a little pain around if we are to believe in the magic. Mar 28, 2023 Full Review Victoria Mather Daily Telegraph (UK) What is likable about this film is that it extols children being kind to each other. Mar 28, 2023 Full Review Gavin Bainbridge Empire Magazine A commendable rarity: a sensitive children's film that neither patronises them nor insults their intelligence. Jul 16, 2020 Full Review Dan Webster Spokesman-Review (Washington) Too much fantasy can spoil the tale, and that's just what happens in this story. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 27, 2024 Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) A piece of sentimental uplift for the Reagan era. Mar 29, 2023 Full Review Roger Hurlburt South Florida Sun-Sentinel Everyone has dreams about flying. Here, with The Boy Who Could Fly, one feels it just might be possible -- if not in the head, at least in the heart. Jul 16, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ethan G He’s fly like Peter Pan Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/27/25 Full Review Audience Member I thought the movie was sweet, but not overly so. The main characters are likeable and a bit intriguing. If you're into late 80's uplifting movies, especially one with nonjudgmental lessons, this is perfect. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/16/24 Full Review Steve D Sickeningly sweet and full of cheese. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Probably would receive major backlash if it had come out today. Super slow paced. Overall just painful. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member A family, coping with loss, must overcome adversity while adapting to their new surroundings all while the kid next door thinks he can fly. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Best movie I've ever seen!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Boy Who Could Fly

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Cast & Crew

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Nick Castle

Director

Lucy Deakins

Milly

Jay Underwood

Eric

Bonnie Bedelia

Charlene

Fred Savage

Louis

Colleen Dewhurst

Mrs. Sherman

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The Boy Who Could Fly

The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Kindly adolescent Milly (Lucy Deakins) moves in next door to autistic teen Eric Gibb (Jay Underwood). The mute Eric, whose parents were killed when he was 5 years old, lives with his hard-drinking uncle, Hugo (Fred Gwynne), and is obsessed with birds. His tendency to stand on rooftops and window ledges posed as if he's flying alarms his social workers, but when Eric saves Milly from a potentially deadly fall, she begins to believe that the boy really can take flight.
Director
Nick Castle
Producer
Gary Adelson
Screenwriter
Nick Castle
Rating
PG
Genre
Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 3, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.3M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Surround
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