Milton's Secret (2016)

In a world teetering on uncertainty, we meet 11-year-old Milton Adams, caught in the eye of a familial storm. His parents, Bill and Jane Adams, are at a crossroads in their marriage, their futures obscured by financial strain and divergent paths. Bill, an investment broker struggling to retain clients, is trapped in the gilded memories of a high life filled with luxury, while Jane, a realtor, grapples with the crushing weight of their financial future, her efforts often met with disappointment. Amidst the backdrop of his parents' discord, Milton also battles his own demons, tormented by the neighborhood bully, Carter Crane. The bullying intensifies after Milton stumbles upon a secret about Carter's life, a secret that Carter would rather keep buried. Milton's world, already in flux, is further rattled, his youthful innocence replaced with a fear he doesn't fully understand. In the midst of the chaos, a beacon of light arrives in the form of Milton's Grandpa Howard. Freshly widowed and seemingly in the throes of a second mid-life crisis, Grandpa Howard is a man unbound by the past or the future, living in the vibrant immediacy of the present. His visit, punctuated by his relationship with a younger woman named Dusty, sends ripples through the Adams' household, his philosophy of living in the moment offering a stark contrast to their own anxieties. As Milton prepares a speech for parents' night at school, the influence of Grandpa Howard begins to seep into his worldview. Milton's Secret captures the young boy's journey amidst the turmoil, exploring the impact of his grandfather's visit and how it shapes his perspective. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the true secret lies not in his bully's hidden life but in the wisdom that anxiety about the past and worry for the future can only rob us of the happiness found in the present moment.

Milton's Secret is a drama movie featuring Michelle Rodriguez and directed by Barnet Bain.

Milton's Secret is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on The Roku Channel.

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