Radio Flyer...What the hell were they thinking with this film

Radio Flyer was directed by Richard Donner who also directed The Goonies. In a nut shell its a whimsical fantastical kids movie with realistic depictions of child abuse. For those of you who haven't seen it, the film stars Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazzello as two young brothers. Mazzello is always getting beaten on by their drunken stepfather so him and Wood make a light aircraft out of a radio flyer wagon, a lawn mower engine and some cardboard and Mazzello flies away. Never to be hurt again. Even as a little kid I knew the plot didn't make any sense. Putting aside the illogic of two kids making an airplane, where was the little brother suppose to go once he left, how was he going to support himself. As an adult it's worse. I really have no idea who this film was made for. It's to dark for kids and to goofy for adults. Granted I remember being a kid and my father getting drunk and hitting me. So the film does capture that pretty well. Still I can't imagine any kid wanting to see this.