Fame is a drug one taste and you're addicted. At the tender age of six, Dickie Roberts was adored by millions as one of America's favourite child stars.

His antics on sitcom The Glimmer Gang drew up to 50 million viewers and he became a national icon with a rather risque catchphrase.

When the show was eventually cancelled, young Dickie sank into obscurity.

Thirty-five years later, Dickie (Spade) is an out-of-work actor who makes a meagre living as a car park valet.

He is desperate to break back into the big time and he thinks he may have found the perfect role in the new Rob Reiner movie, Mr Blake's Backyard.

Unfortunately, the part calls for him to play a normal, down-to-earth everyman: the very antithesis of dysfunctional, self-obsessed, lonely and unloved Dickie.

In an attempt to iron out a few personality quirks, Dickie pays George and Grace Finney (Bierko, McCormack) to adopt him for a month so he might relive a normal American childhood.

Needless to say, the sight of a 35-year-old man masquerading as an adolescent turns head in the leafy neighbourhood, but Dickie gradually worms his way into the hearts of the Finneys and their two children, Sam and Sally.

Dickie Roberts is a refreshing surprise: a David Spade movie with heart and soul. Will wonders never cease?

Admittedly, the film becomes rather saccharine towards the conclusion and the morally wholesome finale is hard to swallow, but there are plentiful laughs and tears en route.

Spade doesn't mug too obviously to camera and gels nicely with McCormack and youngsters Scott Terra and Jenna Boyd.

Bierko is rather two-dimensional but is necessary, for the plot's sake, to set up the dewy-eyed romance and soul-searching of the last 10 minutes.

Director Sam Weisman and writers Spade and Fred Wolf cram every frame with cameos, largely from former child stars playing tongue-in-cheek versions of themselves.

The hilarious end credits feature another 20 or so former child stars and their on-screen bemoaning their lot in life.

The duet between Marion Ross (Mrs C in Happy Days) and Florence Henderson (Carol in The Brady Bunch) is a delight.

OUT! rating: 6 out of 10

Film writer Stephen Webb reviews DICKIE ROBERTS: FORMER CHILD STAR

Starring: David Spade, Mary McCormack, Craig Bierko, Corey Feldman, Jon Lovitz

Director: Sam Weisman

Certificate: 12a

Running time: 98 mins

Showing from today at: Cineworld, Swindon