Children of Invention

2009

1 hr. 26 min.

Drama

List

79%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Two young children are left to fend for themselves when their mother disappears.

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Premiered Nov 08

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[2012.09.16 @Sundance Channel]

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The film was a bit too slight although inspiring! It wasn't horrible but I think the critics overrated it! The film is refreshingly free of Hollywood junk...but they could've stretched the concept even farther! The filmmakers could've made this movie a lot better because it seemed a bit elementary and cheap! However, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Single mother from Hong Kong Elaine Cheng (Cindy Cheung) struggles to provide for her two children in Boston on an expired visa. But when she loses her house she turns to friends who set her up in an occupied apartment while the owners are away. Now struggling between jobs, Elaine gets suckered into an illegal pyramid scheme and faces deportation. While she sweats it out in the police station, her two children Raymond (Michael Chen) & Tina (Crystal Chiu) are forced to look after themselves when their mother doesn't come home. Though the pace of the movie did move a bit slow, the performances were solid...especially from the two child actors.The story of the family trying to stay together under such harsh circumstances was subtle but impactful... but it could have been a lot better. The basic setup of the theme about this family's many problem from the beginning dragged on too long and took away from the second half of the film where the kids are left alone, which is time that could have been used to deliver a more dramatic scenario. And the conclusion was just a big disappointment for me with it's abrupt ending that felt like it suddenly cut off in the middle of a scene. This film wasn't bad, but the slow plot, poor decisions made by the mother, and the abrupt ending prevented this film from reaching it's potential of being a much more powerful indie drama.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really interesting story told in this indie that seems to have a very low budget which you can tell rather easily, but it makes up for that with a great story and excellent casting. The film has echoes of "The Bicycle Thief" as two kids are forced to survive on their own after their single Mom runs into job trouble. The kids are outstanding and I highly recommend seeking this one out!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I felt sorry for the poor mother who fell for the pyramid scheme.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

There was no closure to this movie

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Tze Chun

Director

Cindy Cheung

Elaine Cheng

Michael Chen

Raymond Cheng

Crystal Chiu

Tina Cheng

Stephen Gevedon

Rob the Salesman

Frank Pando

Bruce

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Critics Consensus: Green Zone Feels Stale

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Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

An independent film that's all about forced independence.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 23, 2010

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Shows enormous love and respect for those clutching at the short end of the American Dream.

Apr 1, 2010

Full Review

Gary Goldstein

Los Angeles Times

Chen and Chiu's genuine, rarely cloying performances along with Cheung's urgent sincerity add immeasurably to this timely film's many modest pleasures.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 12, 2010

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Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

It's a promising start for director Tze Chun, but despite the film's charms, the story doesn't get interesting enough early enough.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 11, 2010

Full Review

Ron Wilkinson

Monsters and Critics

Preserving a sense of hope for today's children, there is too much in this film that is too hard to believe.

Rated: 5/10

Mar 19, 2010

Full Review

Norm Schrager

Filmcritic.com

keeps the danger and sadness at bay, instead giving us two fairly developed kid characters

Rated: 4/5

Mar 18, 2010

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Synopsis

Two young children are left to fend for themselves when their mother disappears.

Director: Tze Chun
Executive Producer: Dan Cogan
Screenwriter: Tze Chun
Production Co: Syncopated Films, Impact Partners
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 16, 2016

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