OxfordPress.com

Grade: C+

Verdict: A pretty good try at dealing with spirituality, made better by the presence of Vanessa Redgrave.

Details: Starring Vanessa Redgrave and Ray Liotta. Directed by Peter O'Fallon. Rated PG-13 for some scary scenes and brief drug references. 1 hour, 46 minutes.

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Review: You've got to give "A Rumor of Angels" points. It tries to take on the subject of spirituality, not something you see much of in today's movies.

At the same time, you've got to subtract points for the way the picture goes about it. At times it's so much like an TV refugee that you find yourself thinking: "I know! It's a very special 'Touched by an Angel!' "

Not, as the "Seinfeld" crew would say, that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that you expect a little more from a movie with Vanessa Redgrave and Ray Liotta.

"A Rumor of Angels" is about relationships. Relationships with family, with friends, even with God. Our protagonist, 12-year-old Trevor (James Neubauer), is an unhappy kid spending the summer in Nova Scotia with his much-resented stepmom (Catherine McCormack) and his laid-back uncle (Ron Livingston). Trevor's mom was killed in a car crash (which he witnessed), and his workaholic absentee dad (Liotta) only comes around on weekends.

Fortunately, just up the road a piece (as they say in Nova Scotia) lives Maddy (Redgrave), the reclusive town eccentric. She and Trevor bond after he runs into her fence and she nearly shoots him. Having experienced her own family tragedy, she may be the only one who can help him deal with his (that's the spiritually part).

As movies go, "Rumor" is a bit like the good friend everyone is always trying to set up (she's got a great personality and sews all her own clothes). You know, decent but dull.

That said, its essentially pedestrian nature is often redeemed by its two stars. It's odd to see Redgrave -- our Queen Guinevere, our Isadora Duncan, our Julia -- taking on what can only be described as a late-career Kate Hepburn role. Of course, Redgrave has her own brand of indomitable free spiritedness. But it's still a jolt to see her finally looking, well, not old, but older. In many ways it's a heroic portrayal. She allows us to see her fleshier, with more wrinkles -- though those imperious eyes haven't changed a bit.

This is a nice change of pace for Liotta as well. Typically known for his flashy bad guys (most recently, "Hannibal"), it's good to see the softness he's shown in smaller films like "Corrina, Corrina."

It's worth mentioning that "A Rumor of Angels" has been on the shelf since 2000. Its theatrical run is probably a one-week stop on the way to the video store. But for those with a thoughtful 12-year-old on hand, it could be worth seeking out on a big screen.

— Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, (none)