▁There ▁are ▁moments ▁so ▁touch ing ▁that ▁the ▁heart ▁almost ▁stops ." ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Chron icle , ▁Edward ▁G uth mann ▁called ▁the ▁film ▁" a ▁picture ▁that ▁be ars ▁comparison ▁to ▁To ▁Kill ▁a ▁Mock ing bird ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁[ it ] ▁is ▁that ▁rare ▁main stream ▁film ▁that ▁doesn ' t ▁shout ▁in ▁our ▁ear ▁to ▁make ▁its ▁points . ▁It ▁draw s ▁us ▁in , ▁subt ly ▁and ▁grace fully , ▁and ▁cast s ▁a ▁ling ering ▁charm ." ▁ ▁R ita ▁K em ple y ▁of ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁described ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁" a ▁sensitive ▁coming - of - age ▁story ▁in ▁the ▁sub lime ▁tradition ▁of ▁My ▁Life ▁as ▁a ▁Dog ." ▁ ▁In ▁Rol ling ▁Stone , ▁Peter ▁Tra vers ▁op ined , ▁" Ste ven ▁L id z , ▁a ▁ 1 2 - year - old ▁growing ▁up ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁during ▁the ▁' 6 0 s ▁with ▁a ▁dying ▁mother ▁and ▁a ▁dist ract ed ▁father , ▁turns ▁to ▁his ▁lo ony ▁but ▁life - aff irm ing ▁un cles . ▁Sug ar ▁shock ? ▁Wait . ▁J ump ▁ahead ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁Steven , ▁now ▁Franz ▁L id z ▁and ▁a ▁writer ▁for ▁Sports ▁Illustr ated , ▁wins ▁acc laim ▁for ▁a ▁child hood ▁mem oir ▁that ▁doesn ' t ▁cho ke ▁on ▁wh ims y ▁or ▁sch m alt z . ▁Wait ▁again . ▁The ▁film ▁version , ▁directed ▁by ▁D iane ▁Ke