All fifteen-year-old Thomas Mollison wants is a normal adolescence. And when his pregnant mother has to put in him in charge of his autistic older brother Charlie, Thomas faces his biggest challenge yet.
At its sharpest Elissa Down's feature directorial debut is guided by intense, rough-edged emotional swings that feel authentically alive, even when the script settles for tidiness.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
April 16, 2009
The Black Balloon is marked by the fiercest bravery you're likely to encounter on screen this year.
The film's vision is neither a grim wallow nor falsely cheerful. It's compassionate but unblinking, and in the end we can't help but admire the genuine strength of how its characters accept their special challenge.
There are wrenching scenes that are brutally stark, yet there remains a steady sense of calm that is touching and sensitive without ever turning sentimental.
It's a well-meaning film, marked by Luke Ford's sensitive portrayal of a disabled character. But the main character is bland, imparting the same vibe on the rest of the film.
Washington Post
May 01, 2009
Thomas and Jackie's friendship, blossoming into a chaste romance, is the dramatic engine that powers The Black Balloon, but it's far from the most important relationship in the film.