This reductive road movie about a petty thief and a boy trapped in the social service system logs many poignant moments without cloying sentiment. A series of bad deeds lands Daniel (Mark Webber) community service at an elementary school in New York City, where he bonds with Boone, a cheeky lad whose spirit belies his family situation. When Boone disappears from school one day, Daniel feels a surge of responsibility for the first time in his 20 years. "I want to do something good," he tells his father, who has seen more than enough of his son's swollen rap sheet. Daniel explores his legal options before snatching Boone from an upstate foster home. The two embark on a pilgrimage to Dallas, where Boone's only sister lives. Director Morgan J. Freeman (Hurricane Streets) allows small adventures to nudge along the pair's relationship, while avoiding pat character arcs. But Daniel is no angel, and the challenges of evading police and paying for gas kick his survivalist mentality into high gear. Although Daniel may be saving a would-be orphan from falling through the system's cracks, he is also breaking the law, and Just Like the Son is not afraid to question the moral validity of his actions. In choosing the names Daniel and Boone, Freeman evokes the new frontiers that lie ahead for both characters. Like all quest movies, Just Like the Son's consequence is in the journey, not the destination.