Special Delivery Review
Lifetime Movie Starring Lisa Edelstein and Brenda Song
Bonded courier Maxine Carter is asked to deliver an unusual package – spoiled teenager Alice Cantwell, who must be brought from her home in China to her mother in Hawaii. Max is an extremely competent person, but she does not trust herself to look after children. Equally, Alice, raised by her father, does not know how to relate to a mother figure. Comical and serious adventures follow the two travelers on their anything but smooth journey, and soon, the many aspects of each female unfold.
More to the Story
While commercials promoted this television movie as a seemingly simple story of misadventures of two unlikely traveling companions, the entertaining and intriguing story actually has more depth. This is not just a reworking of another female road-trip movie. In the short running time of about one hour and thirty minutes (excluding commercial breaks), audiences are treated to character and plot development, as well as moments of true feeling and clever comedy.
The relationships formed between the various main characters are motivated, and the clues to the past and personality of each character are well-fed to the audience.
The Cast
Lisa Edelstein, star of House, M.D., plays Maxine, and she brings her usual sintilating skill to the role, immediately causing the character to be both engaging and believably natural. Her facial expressions shift well between portraying comedy and seriousness, allowing her character to become both entertaining and sympathetic.
Brenda Song, who is known for playing hotel heiress London Tipton on the Disney Channel original series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, plays pampered princess Alice in Special Delivery. Song, who sings some of the soundtrack, not only adds to the amusing aspects of the movie. She also succeeds in allowing her bratty character to become both likeable and understandable.
The supporting cast also play their various parts well, especially Robert Gant as Max’s ex-husband, Nate Spencer.
The Production
The movie is well filmed, and it succeeds in hooking audience attention from within the first few seconds. Clues and information are offered effectively. However, certain details of the resolution of the twisting and turning story seem to be rushed, unexplained, or lacking.
Nonetheless, this is a pleasant night’s viewing, and strong performances coupled with good direction by Michael Scott create a movie of much higher quality than many other television movies of a similar genre.
Release
Special Delivery premiered in the United States on December 21, 2008 on the Lifetime Movie Network. It is due to also be shown on ABC Family and the Hallmark Channel.
In the United Kingdom, it premiered on Sky Movies, and attracted more viewers than any previously aired movie on the channel.
The soundtrack of Special Delivery, featuring songs sung by Brenda Song, is set to be released in early 2009.
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