At Eye Level

"Michi" (Luis Vorbach) lives in a children's home where he is bullied fairly relentlessly by the older kids. He is rather optimistically pinning his hopes on the authorities finding his dad, so imagine his surprise and delight when they tell him they have tracked down "Tom" (Jordan Prentice). Except, well there is a problem. "Michi" is eleven and yet he already stands several inches above his dad. It's bad enough that he's being teased already, but how can he introduce this man to his friends? He'd be a laughing stock so he tries to run away - only to be intercepted by the cops and taken to his dad's home by mistake. His choices seem limited - either he returns to the school for more of the same or he moves in with "Tom". All the while, this is beginning to have an impact on "Tom" who has certainly had his troubles with a sizeist community over the years, but who is now largely settled in his life coxswaining a rowing team (of full sized gents). What chance the two can reconcile, especially when an additional piece of information really does set the cat amongst the pigeons? This is quite an engaging story about acceptibility that is delivered personably by both Vorbach and by Prentice and in telling us the story from their respective points of view it offers us a slightly different perspective on the effects of prejudice and on the efforts that often have to be made by both sides if any lasting progress is to be made to overcome them. It also doesn't shy away from demonstrating the cruelty of children towards other children when left to their own devices. It's quite a life affirming family drama this and although it is maybe a little on the long side, I did quite enjoy it.