Rating: 
Summary: Try this movie, at least from a rental...........
Review: I cried so much during the movie. The stubborn little man Simon Birch was not a very sympathetic character but one has to give him credit for believing in his purpose of being born and alive. Try this movie by renting the DVD. You never know, maybe you'd cry like a baby in the privacy of your own living room.
Rating:
Summary: Size Actually Does Matter
Review: ``Simon Birch'' is an unabashedly sentimental tearjerker. Either you stand back and resist it, or you plunge in. There was something about its innocence and spunk that got to me, and I caved in. A lot of that had to do with how likable some of the characters are. We go to the movies for a lot of reasons, and one of them is to seek good company.The movie takes place in 1964, in a New Hampshire town that obviously had Grandma Moses as its city planner. It's about a friendship between two boys, one a gawky pre-adolescent named Joe, the other a dwarf named Simon who believes God has chosen him for a mission in life. The opening narration reveals that two of the characters will die during the course of the movie; that softens the shock when they do and lets the entire movie play as bittersweet nostalgia. It's all framed in a flashback, as an adult Joe (Jim Carrey) revisits the scenes of his childhood in narration. Joe is your average kid. Simon Birch is not. Played by Ian Michael Smith with remarkable cockiness, he's the smartest person in Sunday school and possibly in town. He is very short and very cute, and very wise about the fact of his dwarfism. When Joe tells him a local girl finds him cute, he sniffs, ``She means cute like a baby turtle is cute. Girls don't kiss baby turtles.'' How do you know, asks Joe. ``I just know. If you were me, you'd know, too.'' Joe and Simon are drawn together because they're both misfits. Joe is a boy without a father; his mother, Rebecca (Ashley Judd), steadfastly refuses to name names. ``I don't understand why she doesn't just tell you,'' Simon says. ``You're already a bastard, might as well be an enlightened one.'' Rebecca is a sunny, loving mother whose one lapse has, if anything, improved her character. The other key characters could all be from Norman Rockwell paintings. They include Simon's loutish parents, who don't like him; the Rev. Russell (David Strathairn), the local minister; Grandma Wenteworth (Dana Ivey), Rebecca's mother; Miss Leavey (Jan Hooks), the Sunday school teacher who endures Simon's theological insights, and Ben (Oliver Platt), a man Rebecca meets on the train and brings home for supper. (The last time Rebecca met someone on the Boston & Maine, her mother recalls, she came home pregnant.) Simon and Joe occupy a world of their own, swimming and boating and slipping invisibly around town. Simon's dwarfism doesn't prevent him from going everywhere and doing everything, and even taking his turn at bat in a Little League game; when he finally does gets a hit, there are tragic consequences. Simon uses his size as a license to say exactly what he thinks on all occasions, loudly and clearly, as when the Rev. Russell is asking God's help for a fund-raiser, and Simon stands up on his pew to announce, ``I doubt if God is interested in our church activities. If God has made the bake sale a priority, we're all in a lot of trouble.'' All of this is a scene-raiser for the melodramatic climax, in which it appears that God has perhaps indeed made Simon a priority. There are people who will find Simon's big scene contrived and cornball but, as I said, it all depends on the state of mind you assign to the picture. I've been seeing a lot of silent films lately, in which incredibly melodramatic developments are a way of life: What matters is not that they're unlikely or sentimental, but that the movie presents them with sincerity and finds the right tone. The movie's a directorial debut for Mark Steven Johnson, author of the ``Grumpy Old Men'' movies. He seems to know his way around small towns and broad emotions. His story was ``suggested'' by the novel ``A Prayer for Owen Meany'' by John Irving, unread by me, although no doubt much more complex and ambiguous; Johnson goes for a purity of tone that children may identify with as much as adults. Many of the scenes depend on the screen presence of Ian Michael Smith, making his movie debut with a refreshing brashness. Working with the more experienced Joseph Mazzello (``Radio Flyer,'' ``Jurassic Park''), he projects the confidence of a very bright small boy who has been the center of attention for a long time and has learned to deal with it. By surrounding the boys with very nice people (the Ashley Judd and Oliver Platt characters) and not so nice people (the minister, the teacher), Johnson creates a film so direct and engaging that cynicism wilts in its sunny spirit.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely charming
Review: I adore this film. It is very loosely based on A Prayer for Owen Meany but the film is so wonderful. Simon is so cute and adorable. It's a great film for a kinds of people. I wouldn't see why critics wouldn't like it. I am emotional so of course I cried at some parts but I laughed as well. This is a great feel good movie
Rating: 
Summary: Owen Meany beats Simon Birch's anyday
Review: If you have ever read A Prayer for Owen Meany you would agree that this is the worst movie to ever come out of Hollywood. The movie leaves out many scenes that are vital to the story. It follows the story line very poorly and changes the ending. Don't waste your time, read the book instead.
Rating:
Summary: Uplifting, Challanging Film - made me laugh, made me cry
Review: "Simon Birch" is an outstanding story of 2 young boys growing up under difficult circumstances which have them labeled as outsiders. Simon, a dwarf whose parents wouldn't seem to mind if he simply disappeared, holds onto his belief that God has a special purpose in store for him (to be a hero)and unashamedly lets everyone know about it. Joe, his best friend, wants only to find his real father, whose identity his mother refuses to reveal. Apparently, this is not a faithful adaption to the book, but I found it to be very enjoyable. There are many laugh out loud moments (Simon in church; the Christmas play) and some real tear-jerkers (Simon on the bridge screaming "I'm sorry" in his shrill little voice). The movie is well cast with both young actors doing a terrific job, as does Oliver Platt as the admirable father figure to the boys. Ashley Judd is simply stunning as the strong, independent single-mom with a heart of gold. The movie says some interesting things about faith, belief and serendipity, but its not likely to convince you if such things do not interest you in the first place. For example, Simon is shown as having more faith than even the local minister, yet he frequently curses and is quite enamored of a young classmates's breasts. I imagine this could come across as either true to life (we can have the faith of a child but still be imperfect) or very off-putting and hypocritical. I thought the film examined some interesting points about God and belief while being very entertaining and uplifting. Highly recommended! Also check out "My Dog Skip" for another nostalgic look at childhood and "The Jerk" for another take on having a "special purpose".
Rating:
Summary: For those who have read Owen Meany
Review: This is a note to those of you who have read A Prayer for Owen Meany:
This movie does not do the book justice at all. For some reason, wonderful plot points are removed and replaced with trite silliness. If you have read the book and want to see the movie, rent it. It will be very disappointing for you to buy it.
For those who have not read it but are reading this, I recommend the book. It is a wonderful book. The movie might have been all right had I not read the book, but in comparison, it is awful.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, few complaints
Review: This is an excellent movie about a friendship between two boys set in the 60's. It makes many good points throughout the movie, but it also had a lot of things I did not agree with. Nevertheless, this is an excellent movie, albeit sad at the end. I have one complaint with this movie, however: they could have found someone better than Jim Carrey to do the narration and final scene. Although he does an acceptable job, the role simply does not fit him. All and all, the movie is worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Conmovido por completo
Review: Indudablemente, Simon Brich es una de esas películas que no podremos olvidar mientras vivamos. Más allá de su evidente carga dramática, (la cual le confiere ese particular acento), esta historia nos habla una vez más de la importancia de tres valores fundamentales: la fe, la amistad y el amor. No hay mucho más que decir, sólo basta verla para amarla.
Rating:
Summary: Touching and heartwarming!
Review: I loved SIMON BIRCH. So far, I've seen it twice: once in the theaters, and once on video. Both times it gave me watery eyes at the end! I usually don't cry when watching movies. If the film is really sad, then I might just get watery eyes. That's the closet to crying that I get when watching movies. SIMON BIRCH is about two very different best friends growing up in the '60s. Joe Wenteworth (Joseph Mazzello) is your typical twelve-year-old boy in search for the identity of his father, a secret his young, beautiful mother, Rebecca Wenteworth (Ashley Judd) has been keeping from him ever since he was born. Simon Birch (Ian Michael Smith) is also twelve years old, but he's much shorter than most twelve-year-olds. In fact, he is a dwarf (or midgit) who had a heart defect when he was born. Simon's parents don't care about him at all, and so he usually spends most of his time with Joe's family. Everyone in town makes fun of Simon because of his short size and unique personality, always insisting that God has a plan for everyone and that he will one day become a hero, as God planned for him. Jim Carrey narrates the story as the adult Joe. His role surprised me a lot because Jim Carrey usually plays wacky, hilarious roles instead of serious ones. Rebecca also ends up bringing home a boyfriend, Ben (Oliver Pratt), who the young Joe dislikes but learns to like him in the end. SIMON BIRCH is just a really amazing, inspiring film. All the actors are at their best - each one deserves Oscars! The real star of the film is Joseph Mazzello, who has always been a favorite actor of mine. I'm waiting for him to make another movie. Hopefully he will, soon! Ian Michael Smith is perfect in his debut film role. Ashley Judd has never played her part so well, and Oliver Pratt is also amazing. Even Jim Carrey is really good! The storyline and script are solid and deliver a very powerful message. I just cannot describe how much I love this film. The scenery is breath-taking, too! I strongly recommend that you go and rent this film. Better yet, buy it! You will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: This is a tearjerker
Review: When I saw this movie I was so impressed. It kept me wanting to know what would happen next. It's a classic tale of a young boy named Simon who was born smaller than usuall. He grew up in a house where his parent's didn't except him. Throughout the movie he searches for his purpose in life. He is a wonderful,sweet,and caring boy. His belief in god is also a great quality of his. His friendship with a boy who's name I can't remember is another touching part of the story.I cried in most of the scenes. I won't tell why though. This was probably the first movie I have ever cried in. It's hard to explain, but for some reason crying in movies feels good. Simon has a lot of funny jokes about his opinions and other thoughts. You'll find yourself laughing till it hurts. This is one of the only sad movies I like to watch. Find out why by watching it. I recommend it completely!
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