▁over ▁the ▁family ▁is ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁their ▁five - year - old ▁son ▁Frank ie , ▁who ▁died ▁from ▁a ▁brain ▁tum or . ▁The ▁dev out ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Johnny ▁questions ▁God ▁and ▁has ▁lost ▁any ▁ability ▁to ▁feel ▁true ▁emot ions , ▁which ▁has ▁affected ▁his ▁relationship ▁with ▁his ▁family . ▁Christ y ▁bel ieves ▁she ▁has ▁been ▁granted ▁three ▁wishes ▁by ▁her ▁dead ▁brother , ▁which ▁she ▁only ▁uses ▁at ▁times ▁of ▁near - dire ▁consequences ▁for ▁the ▁family ▁as ▁they ▁try ▁to ▁surv ive ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁After ▁finding ▁the ▁a partment , ▁Sarah ▁gets ▁a ▁job ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁ice ▁cre am ▁par lor ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁family ▁while ▁Johnny ▁aud itions ▁for ▁any ▁role ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁is ▁su ited , ▁with ▁no ▁success . ▁Despite ▁their ▁pover ty , ▁the ▁initial ▁joy ▁of ▁being ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁clos eness ▁of ▁the ▁family ▁gives ▁them ▁the ▁energy ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁most ▁of ▁what ▁they ▁have , ▁and ▁Christ y ▁chron icles ▁the ▁events ▁of ▁their ▁life ▁with ▁a ▁cher ished ▁cam c order . ▁As ▁money ▁runs ▁low ▁and ▁the ▁city ' s ▁temper atures ▁so ar , ▁the ▁family ▁dip ▁into ▁sav ings ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁mov ies ▁to ▁see ▁E . T . ▁the ▁Ext ra - T err est rial ▁and ▁enjoy ▁the ▁air ▁condition ing ▁to ▁find ▁resp ite ▁from ▁the ▁opp ress ive ▁heat . ▁T ensions ▁between ▁Johnny ▁and ▁Sarah ▁begin ▁to ▁rise ▁with ▁the