Review of When Andrew Came Home (2000) by Tammy N — 21 Jun 2008

The film centres on Gail, whose second husband Eddie has become a loving father figure to her three-year-old son Andrew, with the three of them forming a close family unit. However, Andrew's natural father Ted still have visitation rights so one summer afternoon he arrives to take his young son for the day.

Only this time, he has no intention of returning the boy. Five years pass, during which a devastated Gail never gives up on her son, when suddenly Ted calls and announces he's sending Andrew home.

But the withdrawn, emotionally-stunted eight-year-old Gail and Eddie collect is a far cry from the sunny-natured toddler they remembered. Gail soon discovers that while she might physically have her son back, she faces another fight to help this skittish, traumatised child reintegrate into the family and into society in general while finding the key to unlocking what brutalities he endured at the hands of his father during the years he was missing.

Young Seth Adkins was absolutely phenomenal as Andrew, giving a breath-taking performance of a little boy who is emotionally deeply hurt and whose behaviour is almost feral in nature. Through Adkins', you truly get a sense that Andrew is very much a frustrated and angry boy taught to react on instinct, knowing what he's doing is often wrong but is unable to stop himself even though he really does just want to be 'normal'.

Park Overall also gives a strong performance as Gail, the devoted mother who is determined never to give up on her son while battling her own underlying guilt for letting him go with Ted in the first place.