"...The second film was about fifty million times more bizarre. It was about a boy called Bobby whose mother, the owner of a prestigious London department store, died after marrying a fat man who was pure evil. Bobby runs away from home after 'the fat' kills his pet mouse peter, and hitches a ride to Cornwall with a family of travellers and an Irish truck-driver. Unfortunately, Bobby tries to take the wheel of the truck and drives it off the road, killing the trucker. He is rescued by an odd hermit who attempts to bury all the roadkill in the county.It then turns out that the hermit is a retired banker who killed his wife and ran off with all the money. He persuades Bobby to go to London to sign over the store to 'the fat' so he can remain living in Cornwall. When they get there, for no apparent reason 'the fat' beats up Mr. Summers (the hermit) and loads him and bobby into an expensive car. 'The fat' drives them to Cornwall, where he forces bobby to dig two graves whilst Mr. Summers dies inside. Before he dies, Mr. Summers encourages Bobby to kill 'the fat', causing bobby to attempt to lure the immense bald man into an abandoned mine shaft. The film closes with him burying the bodies and buying a tent. Excellent. The most random film in the world…but I loved it! How dare the Radio Times give it only three stars!!?" -17th August 2006

i loved this movie. Christian bale played his part as well as could be done. This is the story of a boy who's mind is steadied with a love for living things and a mysterious man who lives out in the woods by himself who's work was saving the animals. he joins the man in his constant battle against the carelessness of humans and how they don't care who or what they hurt so long as it does not directly affect them. when his stepfather finds out about his life in the woods away from man kind he kills the man and attempts to kill his stepson. when the stepfather himself is killed bobby (bale) is free and he continues the rest of his life doing the 'work' saving the animals. this movie touched me in the heart because it is something that opens your eyes to the world around you. i think this is especially a good movie for those about to be able to drive so they can be taught the perils the road brings to other creatures

A mentally slow boy is threatened to sign his dead mother's store to his completely evil stepfather. Afraid of his stepfather he runs away from home and meets an old hermit who believes that all animals and life is of great importance. He spends his days cleaning up the roadkill on the road and giving the dead animals proper burial. The young boy decides to help the old man and is allowed to live with the old man, but is afraid that the stepfather won't stop looking for him until he gets the store. A very unusual and different story. I really liked it. The superb acting by the entire cast also helps make this a memorable little flick. Daniel Benzali makes a truly frightening stepfather. **1/2 out of ****

I think this was a film well worth watching most importantly for an extraordinary performance by Christian Bale. I found it harsh that another user had criticised it for it's sentimentality I agree but in reality how else could a story like this be filmed? I also found it a testament to the film that even with it's flaws the implausibilty of certain incidents and the cheap looking production values along with the fact that it isn't always the best most interesting film that I found it so heartwarming. If you are not extremely cynical or can turn that part of yourself off sometimes (like me)this film does hold something worthwhile.