The Boy Who Could Fly

After her father's death, teenager Milly moves to a new neighborhood with her younger brother Louis and their widowed mother Charlene. Each of them struggles to adjust, but Milly forms a bond with Eric, the autistic boy next door, who barely speaks and keeps to himself. Eric is absorbed by flight, and his presence gradually affects the family and others around him.

Nick Castle directed and wrote the film, which followed his 1984 debut The Last Starfighter and was produced by Gary Adelson for Lorimar Motion Pictures. Lucy Deakins plays Milly, with Jay Underwood as Eric. Fred Savage appears as Louis, Bonnie Bedelia as Charlene, and Colleen Dewhurst and Fred Gwynne round out the cast.

The film runs 114 minutes and blends drama, family and fantasy. It took about 7 million dollars worldwide, a modest return for a wide-release studio picture of its period. On IMDb it holds a 6.6 rating from roughly 7,100 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.3 from about 152 votes, indicating a small but steady following rather than broad acclaim.