Flawed 'Jack' has an obviously genuine heart

The autism-themed drama "Jack of the Red Hearts" has a big heart and the best of intentions.

But its story builds upon the shaky and not completely convincing premise that an untrained runaway con-artist teenager - if armed with a good heart and quick study skills - not only can be an overachieving caregiver to an autistic child, but can also bring fragmented families together.

An appealing AnnaSophia Robb plays Jack, a rough and tumble teen on the lam from her parole officer. To lay low and gather some money, she steals the identity of a caregiver and gets a job helping 11-year-old autistic Glory (played with effusive transparency and subtle authenticity by Taylor Richardson).

Glory's frazzled mom Kay (Famke Janssen) slowly warms to the initially fumbling Jack, whose noble goal is to get her little sister out of the state's foster home system.

A work of obvious sincerity, "Jack of the Red Hearts" comes from director Janet Grillo, the writer/director of "Fly Away" and an executive producer of "Autism: The Musical." It was written by Jennifer Deaton, an aunt of a child on the autism spectrum. (Grillo has a child on the spectrum as well.)

Grillo uses an abundance of "point of view" shots showing us how Glory sees the world in lights and shapes.

A few POV shots provide us with insight and empathy. Too many of them simply devalue the POV impact and tend to give "Jack of the Red Hearts" the texture of an ABC Afterschool Special.