Rating: 
Summary: SEBASTIAN GRAFFITI
Review: Almost 30 years after George Lucas's idealistic vision ofamerican teenagers, THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE is going to wakeyou up. Yes ! In Sebastian's town, life is a little bit more hard for young people. Parents are divorcing. Too much alcohol in one night can kill you and, last but not least, it's raining or snowing almost everyday. Give us George Lucas back !Tod Williams's first movie THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE is a good little movie but I suggest to rent it before buying it. A DVD for the teenager still sleeping in your heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Beginnings of a better movie hiding within a dull wreck.
Review: For one and a half hours "The Adventures of Sebastian Cole" forced me to watch people I did not care to know, doing things I did not want to see done, in ways I could neither condone nor enjoy. In saying this I in no way imply that Hank/Henrietta is a bad character; given proper focus and more camera time, s/he could have carried the movie on his/her shoulders. No, the film receives two stars from me because it is populated by miserable, deplorable caricatures, first and foremost of them being Sebastian Cole himself. I simply could not accept teen-age Sebastian as a character. He seems to be devoid of all thought. His gaze is empty, without sentience, his doe eyes having a continual expression of a deer caught in the headlights. "I've thought about it, and I'm sure you have very good reasons," he informs his trans-sexual stepfather Hank in the end, after many tribulations and conflicts, but what leads to those heartfelt words? Why is Sebastian saying this after spending the entire movie keeping a safe distance from Hank? Where's the evidence of mentation, of actual thought? Perhaps this is the director's perception of teens - but not mine. I've known divorce, dissolute parents and step-parents, a lot of moving, but I've never felt like Sebastian nor seen anybody even remotely like him. I cannot understand the movie's reluctance to focus on any worthwhile character. We see Sebastian's friends oggling girls through binoculars, talking crudely and pejoratively about Hank's decision, driving aimlessly around the countryside... now, I've never been to Dutchess County, so perhaps it is true tht there is indeed nohing of interest there; however, I'm sure there are ROADS that lead OUT of it, to places that are more interesting. Watching caricatures in dead-end situations is torture. There are beginnings of a better movie hiding within the dregs. "The Adventures" could have focused more on Hank/Henrietta, who is an exquisitely promising character, touching, caring, thought-provoking, and wonderfully acted. Sadly, we are offered frustratingly little insight into Hank's thoughts and motivations. This film is glum and depressing; worse, it offers no escape from that depression, no suggestion that there can be better times and places. Could've been better, but alas.
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: From reading the box I really thought this was going to be a movie about a teen-ager coming to terms with his transsexual stepdad. But miraculously the stepdad's gender was not the punchline, the way gayness was in Twilight of the Golds and a million other coming out movies. It was fun to watch the now-stepmom deal with his discovery of how women are treated. She really worked it and was fast on her feet, but she really wasn't the story. Anyway, this movie was about a kid with a life and how he did his best to cope with about the upheaval adults brought to it. Adrian Grenier as Sebastian Cole was beautiful and a good actor. The story and feel of the movie was very '80s, which was fun. They really nailed what the cast of characters is like in high school, particularly Sebastian's loser friends. And they nailed the kind of stupid stuff you do in high school and hope your parents don't discover. Worth a look for sure.
Rating: 
Summary: I love this movie!!
Review: I discovered Sebastian Cole on the Sundance channel, and have watched it three times now. It's such a good story, different, quite a diversion from the typical teen movies that are out there lately. It is funny, heartwarming, and at times, serious.
The film brings us back to 1983 - 84, and Sebastian Cole, played superbly by Adrian Grenier, wants to go on adventures. He also wants to get out of school as soon as possible. All the while, his stepfather decides he wants to become a woman, Sebastian's sister leaves and moves to California, and his mom leaves when she finds out her husband wants to be a woman.
It is a little different and offbeat, but that is what makes this movie so unique. The acting by Clark Gregg,who plays Hank/Henrietta is outstanding! I've never seen him act before but I thought he played his characters with such great sensitivity and realness. The performances by both him and Grenier, who I did see in Drive me Crazy, are truly beautiful and you can't help but fall in love with their characters.
Sebastian is a great person who just wants to be good to others and along the way have what he calls 'his adventures'.
You will have to watch to see what these adventures actually consist of. You won't be disappointed.
The soundtrack is great too. Perfect compliment to an 80s' kind of film.
Rating:
Summary: I love this movie!!
Review: I discovered Sebastian Cole on the Sundance channel, and have watched it three times now. It's such a good story, different, quite a diversion from the typical teen movies that are out there lately. It is funny, heartwarming, and at times, serious.
The film brings us back to 1983 - 84, and Sebastian Cole, played superbly by Adrian Grenier, wants to go on adventures. He also wants to get out of school as soon as possible. All the while, his stepfather decides he wants to become a woman, Sebastian's sister leaves and moves to California, and his mom leaves when she finds out her husband wants to be a woman.
It is a little different and offbeat, but that is what makes this movie so unique. The acting by Clark Gregg,who plays Hank/Henrietta is outstanding! I've never seen him act before but I thought he played his characters with such great sensitivity and realness. The performances by both him and Grenier, who I did see in Drive me Crazy, are truly beautiful and you can't help but fall in love with their characters.
Sebastian is a great person who just wants to be good to others and along the way have what he calls 'his adventures'.
You will have to watch to see what these adventures actually consist of. You won't be disappointed.
The soundtrack is great too. Perfect compliment to an 80s' kind of film.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I rented this film because I recently saw "The Door In The Floor" (which is one of my favorite films of 2004) also directed by Tod Williams. Having seen this film (his debut) I am extremely impressed with his talents as a writer and director. I just love these characters (in both films). The feeling I had with this film and "The Door In The Floor" is I really didn't want either one of them to end. They could have gone on forever. Its rare for a film to leave you with that feeling...Let alone two films by the same writer/director. Williams is definitely a director to keep an eye on. And any film that ends with a Pixies song is always tops in my book. I am not a fan of the show Entourage but Adrian Grenier really blew me away with his performance in this touching and underrated indie film. I'm just sorry it took me this long to get around to seeing it.
Rating:
Summary: Someone tell Paramount to bring back SEBASTIAN COLE!
Review: I wish this surprisingly good movie were more available, especially on DVD. I truly think it is a modern day Rebel Without A Cause. The whole movie is constructed like its hero, Sebastian Cole. It doesn't care if you like it or not. It doesn't care if it's a cut above the rest, like so many independent films try hard to be. I want to own this bad boy. I want to see Adrian Grenier fake his karate and fly through high school hallways with his bike. I want to see Clark Gregg try to pick up a waitress as his new self, Henrietta. I want to smile at Aleska Palladino trying to win Sebastian's love with flavored lip gloss. Damn it, someone needs to give Tod Williams the respect he deserves! Bogardus!
Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Coming-of-Age Drama
Review: I would have never known this movie existed, but my friend rented it on a whim and we both completely fell in love with this movie, the story, and the characters. This film truly has heart and truly has angst. The best quality of this film is that those two characteristics are perfectly placed throughout the movie. This movie takes place in the early eighties, but if you didn't know any better, you'd think it was made in the eighties. The accurate, yet subtle portrayal of the decade makes this movie so charming and realistic. There are no painfully or pathetically obvious references to the eighties, like that of The Wedding Singer, that insults the viewer. This is a very heartwarming film and after watching it you really feel as though you have lived and grown with Sebastian. Worthy of buying and watching with everyone you know.
Rating:
Summary: THE ADVENTURES OF SEBASTIAN COLE!
Review: NOT to be confused with the long distance runner! This is a COMING OF AGE story and a most UNUSUAL one at that! Poor SEBASTIAN (Adrian Grenier) has to deal with his DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY and still find time to fall in LOVE! Should he live with his mother (MARGARET COLIN), who is an alcoholic, or with his stepfather (CLARK GREEG), who is a transexual? Director TOD WILLIAMS provides a most ECCENTRIC film that avoids becoming absurd. There are a lot of films in this genre, but few of them are as sweet and ENDEARING as this one!
Rating:
Summary: Creative Story! 1
Review: This is an amazing story. I enjoyed it tremendously. It made me laugh and cry. All I can say is rent this movie. The actors are excellent and Adrian Grenier does an awesome job!
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