The Boy David Story review

This "feature-length real-life motion picture" - - that's a documentary, isn't it? - - tells the remarkable true story of David L Jackson.

Born to Campa Indian parents on the banks of a Peruvian river in 1974, David contracted a rare disease that destroyed the centre of his face. Left with no nose or upper jaw, he was passed from Catholic mission to paupers' hospital before coming to the attention of Scottish plastic surgeon Ian Jackson.

What follows is a mammoth tale of courage and blind faith as the Jackson family attempt to rebuild both David's face and his life. As always with these films, there's a faint whiff of First World smugness - - not helped by the plummy, BBC-style interview technique of its late producer Desmond Wilcox. But it's never in danger of overshadowing the selflessness of the Jacksons or David's dogged determination to live a normal life. Just about as moving and inspirational as the big screen gets.