The Spring (2000)

Very Cool!!!

What begins as a feel-good-human-interest story turns into a mystery, then a tragedy, and ultimately an outrage.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Town where no one ages, folks are kept forever young by drinking water from a magic spring. Along comes Kyle MacLachan and his Son, Joseph Cross. Enamored with the strange behaving residents, they are gradually enlightened to the price one pays for brief immortality. This bland TV movie really goes nowhere beyond the initial idea, and gradually peters out. The town's bizarre method of controlling overpopulation of the potential immortals is beaten to death with several 100th birthday rituals. There isn't enough material here to maintain interest for 93 minutes. As a "Twilight Zone" episode, "The Spring" would have been totally acceptable, but the reality is, as a full length film it is simply too long. - MERK

While driving on vacation with his son Nick Conway (Joseph Cross) in a lonely road, the widow writer Dennis Conway (Kyle MacLachlan) helps a young couple that crashed their classic car out of the road. Dennis uses his van to tow the car back to the road and later Nick finds a duffel bag with an address forgotten by the couple on the ditch. They drive to Springsville to return the bag and after locating the house, they spend the night in town. On the next morning, while waiting for the breakfast, Nick has an accident with a logging truck in the gas station and breaks his leg. They are forced to stay and Nick has a crush on Dr. Sophie Weston (Alison Eastwood) that is treating his son. When Dennis discovers that the dwellers do not get old or sick due to the water of the local spring, Dennis asks Sophie to convince the council of the town to stay in Springsville. However, when he discovers the dark secret of the one hundredth birthday party of the locals, he evaluates his decision."The Spring" is a pleasant made for TV movie about a place like a contemporary Shangri-La. The story has flaws, like for example would the children keep their age forever?; but anyway it is an enjoyable family entertainment. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "O Mistério da Fonte" ("The Mystery of the Fountain")

I agree with the poster whose comments are on the home page for this title. There are a few explanations lacking in this film. It did hold my interest, however, though the story was derivative. I think for me it would have been a little more interesting if the young people talked about old things like World War I or II or listened to the big bands or Rudy Vallee. Just a thought.As it was, this was a rather bland TV movie, though I always enjoy Kyle McLachlan. I didn't think Ms. Eastwood had very much going for her in the acting department. I also wondered about the way the citizens were killed when they turned 100. What would have been wrong with an injection of something? Permanent total immersion seemed a little harsh.

This made for TV movie is about a father and son, who pass unintentionally by a small town. The story begins with the two coming to the aid of an anxious couple who have crashed their car into a ditch, on a quiet stretch of road. They leave a bag behind, so the father and son attempt to return the bag to the couple, as it has an address on it. After successfully locating the address, they become stranded in the town and are forced to stay. On the morning after, the son gets hurt and is forced to spend some time in the local hospital. Forced to prolong their stay, they begin to mix with the locals. Initially unknown to the father and son, everyone in the town does not age physically. This mystery slowly unravels to them as well as the secret to their eternal youth, and what happens when it is time for one to 'continue the journey'.