Josh & S.A.M. (1993)

Josh & S.A.M. is the kind of offbeat, big-hearted road adventure that sneaks up on you: it looks like a kid’s romp, then quietly reveals itself as a tender story about brothers clinging to each other when the adults in their lives won’t stop rearranging the world. The movie’s secret weapon is its cast—Jacob Tierney and Noah Fleiss make the bond between Josh and Sam feel lived-in rather than cute, and Martha Plimpton brings a warm, grounded spark that keeps the film from floating away on whimsy. There’s action and comedy in the mix, sure, but the prevailing vibe is scrappy and earnest, the sort of 1990s family odyssey where imagination becomes a survival tool. It’s not for everyone—its tone can be a little quirky and it wears its heart on its sleeve—but if you’re in the mood for a poignant, charming adventure that respects kids’ feelings, it’s easy to root for.

Josh & S.A.M. is clearly aiming for a quirky, kid-driven road adventure about brothers clinging to each other while their family falls apart, with a dash of tall-tale comedy. The problem is it asks you to buy a premise so wildly implausible that, if you’re not on its wavelength early, the whole trip feels contrived and strangely unfocused, bouncing from set piece to set piece without much emotional payoff. It’s not without charm—there are occasional sweet moments and a scrappy energy that hints at a better movie underneath—but the tone can feel messy and the stakes never quite ring true. If you want grounded family drama or a tight, coherent adventure, this will likely test your patience; if you’re fine with a surreal, anything-goes ’90s kid odyssey, you might find it mildly endearing.