Rating: 
Summary: "VERY SOB STORY"
Review: OH THIS MOVIE IS JUST BREAKS MY HEART IN A GOOD WAY
IF YOU GET PAST THE "MOUTH" THIS KID HAS BUT BUT HAS
SUPERMAN IN HIS HEART "CHICK FLICK"GREAT MOVIE!
Rating: 
Summary: Patch Adams, eat your heart out
Review: People who liked this movie must secretly be from the '30s. It's the kind of overly sentimental garbage that, rather than being uplifting, only serves to undo itself: it's so over the top that it is completely unbelievable. Much like "Patch Adams," I can best compare this to an emotional boxing match or an effective motivational speaker: it plays you like a violin, pulling this way and that, making you laugh when it wants you to be mirthful and cry when it wants you to be doleful. But in the end, after you've left, and you've had some time to digest, you realize: it can only play one song. And it's not even a terribly good one at that.The performances in this are strong, especially Joseph Mazzello's as Joe, the main (though not titular) character; Ashley Judd is perfectly cast; Ian Michael Smith and the talented Oliver Platt manage to keep up admirably. As other reviewers have mentioned, though, this overly-Hollywood adaptation of a stirring novel plays to all the wrong themes and emotions, and ends up losing any resemblance of a decent message in its stumbling desire to make you as sympathetic as possible before pulling your heart out through your tear ducts. Watch it with a grain of salt and then spend your money on something better.
Rating:
Summary: Judge the Movie on Its Own
Review: I'm sure that a lot of fans of John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" don't like this movie (Irving apparently didn't like it much either) because it isn't enough like the book. However, I think "Simon Birch" does a good enough job of retaining the most important elements of Irving's novel, while taming it (some would say dumbing it down) for a family audience. I can appreciate the challenge of turning an almost 700 page novel into a two hour movie with a PG rating. Like any decent adaptation, "Simon Birch" is streamlined to get as much bang for the buck as possible. For a sprawling (and sometimes graphic) novel like "Owen Meany" this meant taking a few liberties with the story. I, however, liked the way Simon/Owen becomes a hero more than in the book. It seemed a lot less farfetched that he saves a busload of kids from an accident than to save a group of Vietnamese refugees in a makeshift airport bathroom. People can complain about the contrasts between the novel that "suggested" this movie, but in the end it is just a movie and the main points about religion and faith are still there. To turn Irving's novel into a family-friendly movie is a monumental challenge, but I think the creators of "Simon Birch" succeeded.
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary
Review: This is my favorite movie of all time because of it's ability to make your heart melt. When I saw this for the first time, I cried twice. The ending is the saddest...I couldn't believe such a tragedy would occur. This is one those movies that make you appreciate life more and makes you want to slap yourself for not living life to the fullest. Believe it or not, this film made me change my life for the better. It had such a great message and lots of heart. "Simon Birch" is one of the best movies of all time, in my opinion. This movie just grabs you by the heart and seems to tell you to live a better life and to appreciate people more. This movie will live on forever in my heart, as well as the characters that had been beautifully acted. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes to cry and needs something to lighten up their day!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Movie Ever!!
Review: I'm actually 13(!). If I could, I'd rate this movie 10 stars. It's my favorite movie ever, (NOT ONLY BECAUSE JOSEPH MAZZELLO IS IN IT!), with such a powerful message in it. It's rated PG, mainly because it is VERY intense, there are some curse words in it, and the lines would be too complicated for young children to understand. But this all adds to the essence of the movie, and makes it even more real. It is a big mix of humor and tragedy, whixh makes it easier to bear. Just be sure to a)look for as much humor as possible in the first half and b)be PREPARED for the end!! If not, it might be too intense for you. This is certainly my favorite movie, and I hope you'll like it too. :)
Rating:
Summary: Someone
Review: I'm not gonna talk about this movie, but I was so irritated by the way these dumb blonde cheerleader clones from Winona Minnesota- Amanda and Liz- treated the rating system. Look, you're NOT supposed to pick Owen (Ian) up!!1 If you had read the book, Owen/Simon (Owen is the penned name) CANNOT stand for people to pick him up, You're crazy if you can actually pick him up and get away with it. He'll hate your guts for the rest of his life. So, when you DO become a mother, I strongly suggest you NOT pick ur child up the way Owen was. Or you'll end up with a fate similar to Ashley Judd's character. Rinse out the blonde dye out of your head would you?
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best
Review: This is one of those movies that will change your life. I still think back on the first time I watched this movie, I cried, not boo hoo, a real gut wrenching sobbing kind of crying. This movie will pull at your heart. A great story of life,Love, and Friendship.
Rating: 
Summary: If you loved the book then skip this movie.
Review: Like many, I consider "A Prayer for Owen Meany" to be a wonderful and powerful book. This adaptation (only 'inspired by' the book after, I understand, Irving sued to remove his name from the project) captures some of the scenes from the book very well. However, it departs from the book often and significantly, and each departure is a tragic mistake. Granted, it is extremely difficult, although not impossible, to adapt an Irving novel. Nonetheless, if you enjoyed the book as much as I did, then you risk feeling dissapointed and angry, as I did, if you watch this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Hamfisted, manipulative twaddle
Review: On the strength of so many positive reviews, I took a look at "Simon Birch". In brief, it is a play-the-cards-you're-dealt story, besotted with new-age apologetics. Religious fluff and hamfisted directing ruined what could have been a fair - if hackneyed - tale of courage. I find it hard to believe this story emerged from John Irving's ("The World According to Garp", "The Cider House Rules") word processor. Thus until I read the original story, I'll blame director Mark Steven Johnson for producing an adolescent interpretation.
Rating:
Summary: We love Ian Michael Smith
Review: How to begin?? A movie that encompasses part emotion and part humor will remain forever in our hearts. The film illustrates a true struggle between the ties of friendship and the conflicts portrayed along the way. The characters and the hardships they endure reveal the true personality of each individual character. You are left with a lasting impression of the happiness a little boy can bring. WE LOVE IAN MICHAEL SMITH! WE WANT TO PICK HIM UP! HE IS SO LITTLE! SOMEONE SHOULD FIND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ABOUT HIM AND MAKE A FAN PAGE! HE IS SO CUTE! WHEN I HAVE A CHILD I WANT HIM TO BE JUST LIKE IAN!
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