# Delivering Milo
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{{short description|2001 film by Nick Castle}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Delivering Milo
| image = Delivering Milo.jpg
| caption =
| director = [Nick Castle](/source/Nick_Castle)
| producer = {{ubl|Heidi Levitt|Deepak Nayar|Heriberto Schoeffer}}
| writer = {{ubl|[David Hubbard](/source/David_Hubbard_(writer)) (screenplay)|[Heidi Levitt](/source/Heidi_Levitt) (story)|[Diana Wagman](/source/Diana_Wagman)}}
| starring = {{ubl|[Anton Yelchin](/source/Anton_Yelchin)|[Albert Finney](/source/Albert_Finney)|[Bridget Fonda](/source/Bridget_Fonda)|[Campbell Scott](/source/Campbell_Scott)|[Douglas Spain](/source/Douglas_Spain)}}
| music = [Craig Safan](/source/Craig_Safan)
| cinematography = [Willy Kurant](/source/Willy_Kurant)
| editing = Patrick Kennedy
Peck Prior
| studio = [Lakeshore International](/source/Lakeshore_Entertainment)
| distributor = [Hannover House](/source/Hannover_House)
| released = {{Film date|2001|10|28}}
| runtime = 94 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
}}
'''''Delivering Milo''''' is a 2001 American [fantasy comedy film](/source/fantasy_comedy_film) written by [David Hubbard](/source/David_Hubbard_(writer)) and directed by [Nick Castle](/source/Nick_Castle). [Anton Yelchin](/source/Anton_Yelchin) stars as Milo, while [Bridget Fonda](/source/Bridget_Fonda) and [Campbell Scott](/source/Campbell_Scott) play his parents.[{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/237113/Delivering-Milo/overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106085421/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/237113/Delivering-Milo/overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-11-06 |title=Delivering-Milo - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |author=Mark Deming |date=2007 |accessdate=2012-03-12}}] [Albert Finney](/source/Albert_Finney) stars as Elmore Dahl, a [guardian angel](/source/Guardian_angel_(spirit)) sent to convince a [soul](/source/soul) that life on Earth is worth living.
==Plot==
Elizabeth and Kevin live in [NYC](/source/New_York_City) in the loft above his glassblowing studio and are expecting their first child. Believing she has gone into labor, they hurry to the hospital. But, once there, the obstetrician tells her she was having [Braxton Hicks contractions](/source/Braxton_Hicks_contractions).
The reality is that in the world from which babies come, Milo is too scared to leave the comfortable place where he has lived. He looks about 11 years old in this place despite not being born yet. Since babies must be born in order, no other babies will be born until he changes his mind. The people in charge have no idea what to do as no baby has ever refused. An old man named Elmore volunteers to show Milo that life is worth it. Elmore is trapped in a sort of limbo until he is determined worthy of Heaven, though he would much rather be back on Earth as he finds limbo to be very boring.
Seeing a chance, Elmore bargains with the powers that be. He must get Milo to say he wants to be born in exchange for more time on Earth. To convince Milo to accompany him, he takes advantage of the boy's love of cards games and tricks. They let the cards decide, and Elmore is triumphant.
Elizabeth calls her mom, updating her. She mentions she saw a man who looked like her father who'd abandoned them years ago.
Elmore and Milo exit through a door which normally serves only as an entrance. Outside is the energetic and terrifying [New York City](/source/New_York_City). Elmore loves it, but Milo doesn't want to be in this scary place.
Milo is introduced to a deli, ice cream and [Central Park](/source/Central_Park). He initially loves food which he has never needed before. However, once his natural bodily functions kick in and he needs the toilet, he is less convinced. A call from above suggests that Elmore try to inspire Milo's soul, but a museum visit has the opposite effect.
As the day goes on, the big news story seen in the background is the lack of births globally. This is a reminder of how Milo's doubt and refusal to be born has affected the world.
Cleaning up the studio after a pipe burst, Elizabeth finds a bag with Atlantic City paraphernalia that belonged to her father. She plays blackjack with her husband's workmate, and doing well, she impulsively goes to [Atlantic City](/source/Atlantic_City). Almost simultaneously Elmore takes Milo there too, as he loved to gamble when he was alive.
Milo's mind has not been changed and there is a deadline: at midnight, the door that the souls go through to be born will close, and no more babies will ever be born. In Atlantic City, Milo and Elizabeth meet. Milo realizes that Elizabeth is his mother, and decides he wants to be born. He also realizes that Elmore is the father who had abandoned Elizabeth and therefore his grandfather.
Elmore and Milo return to the door. Milo, however, is too weak to make it through the door on his own, as his time is nearly up. He begins to die since he will never be born. Elmore, feeling remorse for how he treated his family in life takes Milo back through the door, giving up his chance to stay on Earth. Elmore accuses the people in charge of setting him up, as they knew Elmore would not be able to leave Milo to die. They don’t deny it, however, they remind him that he was given a choice.
Milo is finally born and Elmore can finally ascend from limbo to heaven.
==Cast==
* [Anton Yelchin](/source/Anton_Yelchin) as Milo
* [Albert Finney](/source/Albert_Finney) as Elmore Dahl
* [Bridget Fonda](/source/Bridget_Fonda) as Elizabeth
* [Campbell Scott](/source/Campbell_Scott) as Kevin
* [John Cho](/source/John_Cho) as Mr. Hugo
* [Kenny Blank](/source/Kenny_Blank) as Mr. Ralph
==See also==
* [List of films about angels](/source/List_of_films_about_angels)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0212910|title=Delivering Milo}}
{{Nick Castle}}
Category:2001 films
Category:2000s fantasy comedy-drama films
Category:American fantasy comedy-drama films
Category:Films about angels
Category:Films directed by Nick Castle
Category:Films scored by Craig Safan
Category:Films set in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Category:Films set in New York City
Category:Films shot in New York City
Category:Films shot in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Category:American pregnancy films
Category:2001 comedy films
Category:2001 English-language films
Category:2001 American films
Category:English-language fantasy comedy-drama films
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Delivering Milo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delivering_Milo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delivering_Milo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.