Finding Forrester

Rating:
Summary: Another sample of a brilliant, yet not-so-published movie!
Review: The fact that 'Finding Forrester' somewhat brings 'Good Will Hunting' to mind is not such a big coincidence, considering that Gus Van Sant was the director of both, with a very weird and unsuccessful project (the movie 'Psycho') in the middle. But Van Sant was careful enough to maintain things at a resemblance level, only picking up the best elements from his own masterpiece (in fact, more like the masterpiece of Matt Damon -who happens to play the minor role of a lawyer in this movie- and Ben Affleck, authors of the script). The script for 'Finding Forrester' instead puts out there the name of an amateur script writer and not-so-amateur News Director from Oregon: Mike Rich.

The movie is centered in the Bronx, where a gifted high school student and neighborhood basketball star Jamal Wallace (played by young talent Rob Brown) begins an interesting friendship with a former literary star turned hermit, William Forrester (played by Sean Connery). The relationship between the very mature sixteen-year-old and the seventy-plus-year-old author evolves as Wallace earns the respect and trust of Forrester, as a result of the his brightness and candor, in the midst of a most adverse environment.

As Wallace experiences the chance of a lifetime in the form of a scholarship to one of the most prestigious private high schools, he is faced with a human feeling he was not as used to in his poor Bronx: envy. The envy of another just-as-talented basketball player, and that of his bitter and not-so-brilliant literature teacher, Robert Crawford, notably played by F. Murray Abraham. Abraham is an actor that has already performed roles of this sort, such as Antonio Salieri in 'Amadeus' so you can guess that he does this extremely well.

Connery's performance, as usual, was flawless, and so was Brown's. All these performances along with the script, one which deserves the highest praise, make very upsetting the fact that the movie went so unnoticed when it was playing in Theaters. This movie stands up there with 'Dead Poets Society' and 'Good Will Hunting', among the movies of its kind.

Rating:
Summary: Touching, Uplifting
Review: One of the goals of the screenwriter and director is to evoke emotions from the viewer, and a good movie goes so far, as the late syndicated columnist Darrell Sifford once described to me, as to "milk the human tear duct."

But finding Forrester went further. It brought out an emotional experience which was possibly new to me, and that is an extraordinary experience.

It was enough to start off with a cast including Sean Connery, Anna Paquin, F. Murray Abraham, Busta Rhymes, and a surprise, but un-named Oscar winner. And, as a writer, I was hoping, having seen the trailers, that this would be a good story. I had no idea it would lift me to new heights.

The new fresh blood in the movie is first time actor, Rob Brown, a native of Harlem, who, is the youthful half of the Young Genius, Mentor Genius relationship, around which the story revolves. I am one movie goer who enjoys a good tear-jerker. Movies which artfully and intelligently, lightly and subtely touch the heart are special works of magic. It was no small wonder to discover, within myself, as this precious movie was gradually unfolding, that my lower lip started to quiver. I tried to stop it, and then, like a light bulb, illuminating a dark room, only to discover myself in a museum with a never before seen masterpiece, I realized this quivering lip was beyond tear drops, beyond the moist eye most good scripts evoke. I touched my fingertip to my quivering lip. Little babies and toddlers lips quiver. I smiled, and pointed my attention back to the screen, letting the script do its magic. And more magic it did!

Finding Forrester is an extraordinary film which blends rap with classical literature, basketball and baseball and racism and pedantism into a STORY which builds into a masterpiece which, at some point, begins to go beyond "milking the human tear duct," to playing whole symphonies on your heartstrings.

While it is rated PG, primarily because of a few choice words, it is overall a good movie for that hard to satisfy 9-13 year old group. My 10 year old gave an unqualified "good" rating, which, considering he generally describes even his favorites as "okay", is a dramatic endorsement. So did my 17 year old, who usually just flat out refuses to go to see any movie.

Rating:
Summary: Exceptional on all levels
Review: Finding Forrester was a very well done film. The transformation of William Forrester (played by Sean Connery) really connected with me.

The key was friendship with a kid from the neighorhood Jamal Wallace, who helps get him unstuck. It was believable because we all get stuck sometimes and help comes from the most unsuspecting corners of our life. You can't help feeling that they both help each other but it is Jamal who saves Forrester's life. He energizes Forrester. Helps him find his spirit and vitality once again.

Instead of the old man instilling wisdom upon the young man, it is the young one that predominately helps the old one find himself and his inherent genius once again. This is a good twist that allows the movie stand on its own apart from the inevitable comparisions to Good Will Hunting.

The writing and basketball are a good combination and neither is overdone. The story even mirrors the acting careers of each of the two main characters. Jamal, like the actor who plays him, is a newcomer who has burst onto the scene. Forrester, like Connery, is nearing the end of his life but bounces back to be able to do his best work again. A sparkling performance by the Scotsman Connery and could be entered into his already long list of outstanding performances.

The scenes between Jamal and Claire show a great restraint that add, not take away, from the relationship between the two. Aren't we all a mystery to each other? The greatness in this side of the story is in the unspoken and unexpressed. Their love is a budding flower just beginning. This movie was masterfully done.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not deep enough
Review: Like Scent of a Woman, with Al Pacino, or the ubiquitously mentioned Good Will Hunting, this movie raps on the teacher/father/student/brother motif, and has the goods to get away with it. But only barely. It doesn't impress this viewer as saying anything particularly deep about writing, or in that case about life -- other than to say that one should make good use of her skills. That's saying quite a bit, for sure, but when compared to Good Will Hunting, or Michael Chabon's The Wonder Boys -- films and novels that march across the same ground -- it seems achingly shallow, like it didn't have the guts to take on the murkiness of all sorts of different deeper issues, like race relations.

That's not to say that it isn't a better than average film -- it is, and highly enjoyable as well. But if the movie's theme is that humans should push ourselves and our talents to an incredible climax, we should expect more out of Finding Forrester.

Rating:
Summary: Find this movie and rent it quick :)
Review: I don't want to give away any of the storyline...i just watched it...it's late,i'm tired, rent it, watch it, go to bed...zzz

Rating:
Summary: Suceeds On Many Levels
Review: Forrester is a reclusive genius writer. Jamal is a young black athlete who has a gift he cannot cope with. An unlikely relationship, to be sure, but they teach each other about life and soon become friends, with Forrester emerging from his shell and helping Jamal in his time of need. Finding Forrester has a lot of humor in it, and a lot of great drama. But the best part is the acting. It boasts three Academy Award-winners on its cast, along with a remarkable and heartfelt performance by newcomer Rob Brown, who does great in every scene. Connery is amazing, coming off performances in movies like The Rock and Entrapment, which were from okay to bad, he gives the best performance of his career. F. Murray Abraham has been great in everything he has ever been in (Last Action Hero pending), and this is no exception. This movie could have been perfect if maybe 15 or 20 minutes were trimmed, its a bit too long at nearly two and a half hours. However, it is an excellent movie and although the storyline is comprable to Good Will Hunting (it is impossible to write a review for this movie without mentioning GWH), its acting and humor are excellent, its writing and directing are great. Don't miss it. -m-

Rating:
Summary: good performances, if typical plot
Review: I think I expected a little more from this Gus Van Sant directed movie. There were tons of similiarities between this and Good Will Hunting (troubled young man taken under wing by brilliant tutor) though there's a little more role reversal here (the student helps the teacher at least as much). As if to remind you that this is a variation on the Will Hunting theme, Matt Damon even shows up in a cameo. The movie is shot much like Good Will Hunting as well -- those sweeping shots of the teacher's bookshelves look a lot like the ones of Will's bookshelves at the beginning of the movie.

But I enjoyed the story if for no other reasons than the performances. Connery was appropriately gruff but lovable, and the newcomer (whose name I forget -- probably because he hasn't done anything big since) was wonderfully subtle. Rent this if you've already seen Good Will Hunting and looking for more on that troubled kid/helpful mentor theme. Or if you've ever had a really arrogant arse of a professor who you wish you could've outsmarted.

Rating:
Summary: Finding Forester
Review: I felt this was a good movie for teens. It shows that when you are a person, you do have talents and you are not to waste them. Color had no lines here, it was only the mind. I loved the love/hate lines that brought these two personlities together. A young man who need guidence and an old man that needed a friend. Very good story.

Rating:
Summary: You've found him
Review: Here is another well done off-the-mainstream movie that Hollywood decides to surprise us with every so often. It is a film which examines a curious friendship which is forged between a young black youth (Jamal, played by Rob Brown) and an aging, reclusive white author (William Forrester, played by Sean Connery).

The movie invokes the directorial talents of Gus Van Sant, and there are a few obvious parallels between it and "Good Will Hunting," also directed by Van Sant. To SOME extent, Jamal is the liberal arts counterpart to the math/science extraordinaire that Matt Damon played in "Hunting." However, while he is precocious, Jamal is not quite the "giant among giants" type of genius depicted in Damon's persona.

However, what Jamal is is a young, gifted youth who has a whole lot of potential. The one thing he lacked all his life was intellectual direction. He is well-read, but never had any one to help him hone his writing skills. After stumbling across a one-hit-wonder author (Forrester never attempted to publish a 2nd book), he comes to understand that he has found the catalyst for his future success as a serious writer.

This film succeeds brilliantly in its presentation of liberal arts as being an under-used nexus between societies, cultures and socio-economic classes. What keeps coming back again & again throughout the film is just how uniquely human the art of literature is. The fact that Jamal is an athelete as well as a scholar is a refreshing touch, especially considering how most Hollywood movies portray intellectuals as being stereotypical "nerds."

The one factor which precluded my giving this movie 5 stars was its articulation of the relationship between Jamal and Claire. It was obvious that both characters wanted a romance with the other, but the relationship never really went anywhere. By the end of the movie, it seems that the writers forgot about her entirely. Don't get me wrong: I am not asking for a cheesy love scene, or even a kiss. I would have just liked to know what happened. Claire's disappearance from the movie was a bit odd, and it left the story incomplete.

Other than that aspect, this is a worthwhile DVD to buy. Connery's performance, as usual, is breath-taking. In fact, his depiction of an aging author made me think of Hemingway in his later years.

Rating:
Summary: whatever
Review: take Good Will Hunting, make them high schoolers and take out all of the wit, and you pretty much have this movie it's not a bad movie but it just rode the coattails of the other movie don't bother