I rarely review any product unless I really like it, but I am making an exception in this case. Mr. Rice’s Secret, also called Exhuming Mr. Rice, is a so-so movie.

While idly watching the ending credits roll by, I was startled to see credit given to an “Ant Wrangler,” which was followed by “Assistant Ant Wrangler.” Zounds! Soon we were assured that “no animals were harmed in the filming of this movie.”

Now, you may ask, why were Ant Wranglers needed for this film?

There was a dream sequence in which a stream of ants led to an apple, which was being devoured by a horde of hungry ants. This dream did not have any relationship to the plot, except to show that a sick child was having disturbing dreams. Page Dr. Freud.

It’s a good thing I was not on the set of that movie, because the first thing I would do when I saw a column of ants would be to step on them, providing I was wearing shoes at the time. Since the SPCA was in attendance, no doubt I would be led away in handcuffs for this dastardly act.

Well, at least a couple of Ant Wranglers found some gainful employment.

Back to the Movie:

David Bowie, as Mr. Rice, gave an excellent performance of an older man giving advice and encouragement to a gravely ill youngster. Unfortunately, his part was limited and was all done in flashbacks.

Bill Switzer did a good job of portraying the main character, Owen, who had Hodgkins Disease, and was fearful of dying. He tried to be a “regular guy,” so his little clique of friends would not abandon him.

The group of friends that Owen was so anxious to keep were an obnoxious bunch of youngsters who delighted in behaving badly. They were led by a bully, who went so far as to severely beat up another cancer-ridden boy, while the others either watched or joined in the beating. That boy wound up in the hospital at death’s door.

So what was Mr. Rice’s Secret?

Well, Mr. Rice, before he died, gave Owen a decoder ring. He left a coded message for Owen in a trunk in his house, which the boys found when they broke into his house to rummage through his things and to watch a tape of the funeral. Owen had disobeyed his parents and sneaked into the church so he could videotape the funeral.

When Owen finally got to watch the video, he was convinced that he saw Mr. Rice lift his hand, which was holding a key. Guess what! Owen managed to get Mr. Rice’s coffin dug up by youthful accomplices in the middle of the night.

When the coffin was opened, I expected to see Mr. Rice alive and well. David Bowie was a fetching vampire in The Hunger, and I was expecting more of the same. Nope. Even though he managed to lift his hand during the funeral, he was really gone.

However, Mr. Rice’s hand did indeed hold a silver key, just where Owen thought it would be. It took him a while to figure out what the key unlocked, but there he found another coded message and a map........and on and on it went.

So, how did I rate it?

The movie did a good job of showing how a gravely ill child might react to his condition, but I would give this movie only two stars. I would never recommend that any youngsters look at it. The boys in this movie certainly weren’t role models.

Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age