AllMovie

Robert Wise brings his distinguished name and considerable directorial skill to this remake of a 1970 Rod Serling TV drama. Set in 1969, Abel Shaddick (Peter Falk), a crotchety deli owner, has a grudge against virtually everyone in his upstate New York town of Fairview, particularly against his slacker nephew Stanley (Andrew McCarthy) who lives behind the shop. Without telling his uncle, Stanley agrees to put up a needy city kid for the summer as part of a charity program run by rich debutante Gloria (Nastassja Kinski). Abel immediately vetoes the plan, but it is too late. The kid, young Herman Washington (Aaron Meeks), is already on his way. Though initially the two intensely dislike each other, they bond over fishing and war heroes -- Abel's son died during WWII, while Herman's brother was killed in Vietnam.