I thought I might give up on this film. For awhile, it felt like I was watching Ozzie and Harriet in Arizona. No family could possibly be that happy. Then, about 45 minutes in, it grabbed me and it didn't let go. Part of the fascination was the idea of watching a young Steven Spielberg unfold. I really enjoyed seeing his early filmmaking ideas. Though I did wonder whether any seven year old could have that kind of eye for framing, perhaps Spielberg did.

Plus, I found his evolving personal and family drama interesting. It made me consider how these events shaped him as an artist. Yet, if this had been based on an average person's family, I would likely have seen it as quirky, but not that engrossing. It only works here because we know how it ends.

I do love Spielberg's films but I think that he may be facing a problem that I've seen with some other great directors. At this stage, who in the world is going to say, "Great work, Steven, but you really should cut half an hour?" It would be a much better film if he trimmed some scenes from the top.