It was based on the Madeleine L'Engle book of the same name filmed on location in Australia, and stars Mischa Barton in the main lead role.

In turn, Reverend Eaton tries to encourage Vicky with his gentle wisdom and appreciation of her talents, especially her writing, in marked contrast to her parents' long distance expectations that she study science.

The fishing nets storyline, which does not appear in the novel, is standard Disney fare in that it involves young characters behaving heroically in an adventure setting.

Its climax, in which one of the major characters is tangled in a net and nearly drowns, echoes a similar scene in the Disney Channel movie The Thirteenth Year.

Instead the film shows Zach involved in positive activities, most notably joining forces with Adam to expose the illegal fishing methods.

In the book, the character Leo Rodney competes with Zachary Gray for Vicky's attention, while Adam tries to avoid forming a romantic attachment with her because of a negative experience the previous summer.

Laura Fries of Variety reviewed the film negatively, remarking "Writers Marita Giovanni and Bruce Graham take the poignant and thought-provoking notions of life and death found in the Madeline L’Engle teen novel and turn it into Gidget meets Flipper drivel..."[1] Lynne Heffley of Los Angeles Times was more complimentary, lauding the performances, highlighting "...Mischa Barton's luminous presence as Vicky and the venerable James Whitmore as her tender and wise grandfather.