I was a little apprehensive at the start of this feature, especially when a wheelchair-bound lad is placed in a playground on a sunny day where all he can do it watch other, able-bodied, kids playing. Frustrating? Well fortunately, "Maria" is a kind-hearted soul who decides to befriend the boy - whether he likes it or not. Swiftly realising that he has no mobility nor speech, she devises some clever games for them to play and using ropes she is able to involve him in skipping, football and even a little dancing. Might there be the slightest possibility that her kindness and affection might succeed where clearly medical science hasn't? There is something emotionally quite therapeutic about this animation. It doesn't offer miracle cures or complex treatment, but shows in spades just how effective a bit of human kindness can prove to be - even when a situation is clearly not going to end like an edition of "Little House on the Prairie". The characterisations of both are sensitively presented and though the standard of computer generated animation is fairly standard, this is a touching tale that I did quite enjoy.
