Rating: Summary: A very enjoyable classic movie Review: Great performance from an all-star cast (notably Fraser, Damon and O'Donnel), good plot, good description of life in a prep school in the 50's, interesting issues on tolerance. A very enjoyable classic movie that I can only strongly recommend.
Rating: Summary: Wow Review: Gripping, well-told story. If you have seen this on television you really must see it on video. The uncut version is really a different movie and leaves a much different taste in your mouth than the TV version. I'm always irritated with the TV editors because they always cut the last line of the movie, leaving the wrong parting message. Fraser and the ensemble cast do a wonderful job. This is a must-see movie.
Rating: Summary: This movie is a must see Review: I love this movie to death. I must have seen it over a million times. Not only does it have incredibly good and successful actors (Anthony Rapp, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and of course Brendan Fraser), it's also just a really good movie. I don't think that it's "strained and obvious" at all. It think that it's a very moving and effective example of antisemitism, while it also focuses on the pressures of getting into a good college, sibling rivalry, competition, sacrifices, and approval. But besides all of these underlying morals...there is a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable movie. I definitely recommend it!
Rating: Summary: A Good film about Cultural Ignorance Review: I really enjoyed this film.because it dealt with Ignorance of one Mans Culture.Brendan Fraser does a solid job here.it's the kind of film that needs to be put out more often.a film that says recognize me&my culture.it may be set in a time period but it's still very much felt today.
Rating: Summary: Disgusted! Review: I see this movie from time to time and don't tire of watching it. Fraser plays a Jewish high school senior taken out of his working-class neighborhood to attend a prestigious Christian boys school. As he gains the friendship of the students, the admiration of the staff and alumni, and the heart of a girl, he comes across the envy of a wealthy classmate played by Matt Damon. The secret's out of his Jewish faith and he is left to fend for himself, although some of the students didn't care but he felt like he was by himself as the school days dragged on. People like the character played by Matt Damon make it clear they are superior to those whether it be race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. They soon find out that they are less than what they say they are. Jews are perceived as being economically stable, but the character played by Fraser came from a working-class family struggling to get by. Like any parent from each class, it's their dream to want to see thier child/children acheive. In the end, he reminded the faculty why he was here. This movie has an important lesson in tolerance.
Rating: Summary: Brendan Fraser in his best role Review: I see this movie from time to time and don't tire of watching it. Fraser plays a Jewish high school senior taken out of his working-class neighborhood to attend a prestigious Christian boys school. As he gains the friendship of the students, the admiration of the staff and alumni, and the heart of a girl, he comes across the envy of a wealthy classmate played by Matt Damon. The secret's out of his Jewish faith and he is left to fend for himself, although some of the students didn't care but he felt like he was by himself as the school days dragged on. People like the character played by Matt Damon make it clear they are superior to those whether it be race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. They soon find out that they are less than what they say they are. Jews are perceived as being economically stable, but the character played by Fraser came from a working-class family struggling to get by. Like any parent from each class, it's their dream to want to see thier child/children acheive. In the end, he reminded the faculty why he was here. This movie has an important lesson in tolerance.
Rating: Summary: GREAT movie, but it's not quite 5 stars Review: In "School Ties," Brendan Fraser plays as David Greene, a Jewish football star who is attending a preparatory boarding school on a football scholarship. The majority of the people take a keen liking to him; he makes a lot of friends and falls in love with a certain girl, so his life is pretty much going along without hitting any bumps in the road. That is, until some people find out that he's Jewish and start turning against him, mainly Charlie Dillon (Matt Damon). David's life could completely fall apart, or something could happen and he could gain back respect and get back to where he was."School Ties" was a movie that jumpstarted the careers of a few actors who are now big stars, such as Matt Damon and Brendan Fraser. The movie is interesting and it has a lot of upbeat, suspenseful drama, both good and bad during the whole movie. It's one of the best movies of its kind that I've seen, no doubt. It's a realistic movie about prejudice and it's a classic one at that. While "School Ties" has a great script, plot, and everything else it needs to succeed, what really pushes it to be the great movie that it is, is Brendan Fraser's superb acting. He does one of his best, if not his best acting job of all time in "School Ties." I really want to give this movie five stars, but I can't. The reason for that is because when the movie ends, it just leaves certain question unanswered. Other than that, this movie is top notch. I recommend anybody to not just watch, but to PURCHASE "School Ties" right now!
Rating: Summary: The Amazon.com review is dead-on Review: SCHOOL TIES is a thoroughly enjoyable, if dramatically square story of a Jewish youth (Brendan Fraser) who encounters anti-Semitism at a boys' prep school. As usual, the villains are singularly lacking in dimension, the "serious" moments border at times on the truly silly, and the plot mechanisms are as predictable as clockwork. But Fraser's strong, surprisingly complex performance grounds the picture--the character isn't particularly fresh or new, but he's likeable, and genuine. And however often you might feel groan at the obviousness of the film's targets, the movie is still engrossing from start to finish--much more than you can say for the derivative, hackneyed DEAD POETS SOCIETY. At the very least, SCHOOL TIES is miles ahead of DPS (although that doesn't really say much).
Rating: Summary: Speaks of days past and a time almost forgotten Review: School Ties is a touching movie that is often compared to Dead Poets Society. While there are similarities (ie: teenage boys in a 1950s prep school setting), there are more differences. This is less of a movie about looking up to someone only to see them cut down before your eyes and the bonds and respect associated with that, and more of a story of the bonding and betrayal of friends. A young Brendan Fraser is stunning as David Green, a working class Jewish kid accepted to one of the most prestigious preparatory schools in the country. It would only be for one year, but what a year. With dreams of going to Harvard, this was his way in. He keeps his religion a secret from the new friends he makes, but when it all comes out in the end, slurs are thrown and the people he thought he could trust leave David high and dry. It speaks of an era when there were 100 different slurs for each religion and race, and the people who actually believed that somehow they were better. No character is portrayed in this negative light better than Charlie Dillon, brought to life by none other than Matt Damon. The seeds of his jealousy are planted within the first fifteen minutes and as the movie progresses you see Dillon become more desperate for his former status after David Green takes his position on the football team and in the life of a girl he thinks to be his. Other standouts include Chris O'Donnell, playing Fraser's fictional roommate, who is forced to deal with the situation a bit more close up than some of their classmates. Randall Batinkoff, though not well known, gives a fabulous performance as Damon's fictional roommate, having to decide which is more important: his best friend and roommate of 4 years, or his morals and conscience urging him to speak up in defense of David Green. Surprisingly, Cole Hauser, who generally is cast as a not-so-nice guy comes off completely different in this picture. His character, Jack Connors seems rude and hard-nosed throughout, but when it's all on the line, he really delivers, making it known that Connors is not the bigot he has been made out as. The movie was well scripted and brilliantly cast, from the guy who no one thought would come out on top (Fraser) to the guy who would be expected to rule the world (Damon). Set in a time when life was a little rougher and people were judged more harshly, School Ties really speaks of the fear and degradation one might face for being "different", and tells of the strength and courage that comes with being "different". Some might say that the movie is too harsh with its message of bigotry, but that was a time when it was very real and it must embraced in order to learn from it and not have it happen again.
Rating: Summary: Speaks of days past and a time almost forgotten Review: School Ties is a touching movie that is often compared to Dead Poets Society. While there are similarities (ie: teenage boys in a 1950s prep school setting), there are more differences. This is less of a movie about looking up to someone only to see them cut down before your eyes and the bonds and respect associated with that, and more of a story of the bonding and betrayal of friends. A young Brendan Fraser is stunning as David Green, a working class Jewish kid accepted to one of the most prestigious preparatory schools in the country. It would only be for one year, but what a year. With dreams of going to Harvard, this was his way in. He keeps his religion a secret from the new friends he makes, but when it all comes out in the end, slurs are thrown and the people he thought he could trust leave David high and dry. It speaks of an era when there were 100 different slurs for each religion and race, and the people who actually believed that somehow they were better. No character is portrayed in this negative light better than Charlie Dillon, brought to life by none other than Matt Damon. The seeds of his jealousy are planted within the first fifteen minutes and as the movie progresses you see Dillon become more desperate for his former status after David Green takes his position on the football team and in the life of a girl he thinks to be his. Other standouts include Chris O'Donnell, playing Fraser's fictional roommate, who is forced to deal with the situation a bit more close up than some of their classmates. Randall Batinkoff, though not well known, gives a fabulous performance as Damon's fictional roommate, having to decide which is more important: his best friend and roommate of 4 years, or his morals and conscience urging him to speak up in defense of David Green. Surprisingly, Cole Hauser, who generally is cast as a not-so-nice guy comes off completely different in this picture. His character, Jack Connors seems rude and hard-nosed throughout, but when it's all on the line, he really delivers, making it known that Connors is not the bigot he has been made out as. The movie was well scripted and brilliantly cast, from the guy who no one thought would come out on top (Fraser) to the guy who would be expected to rule the world (Damon). Set in a time when life was a little rougher and people were judged more harshly, School Ties really speaks of the fear and degradation one might face for being "different", and tells of the strength and courage that comes with being "different". Some might say that the movie is too harsh with its message of bigotry, but that was a time when it was very real and it must embraced in order to learn from it and not have it happen again.
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