Finding Forrester

Starring:F. Murray Abraham, Charles Bernstein (III), Stephanie Berry, Rob Brown (VI), Sean Connery, Richard Easton (II), Glenn Fitzgerald, April Grace, Tom Kearns (II), Damien Lee, Matt Malloy, Damany Mathis, Michael Nouri, Anna Paquin, Michael Pitt (II), Busta Rhymes, Fly Williams III, Matthew Noah Word, Lil' Zane
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Finding Forrester could have been a shallow variant of The Karate Kid, congratulating itself for featuring a 16-year-old black kid from the South Bronx who's a brilliant scholar-athlete. Instead, director Gus Van Sant plays it matter-of-fact and totally real, casting a nonactor (Rob Brown) as Jamal, a basketball player and gifted student whose writing talent is nurtured by a famously reclusive author. William Forrester (Sean Connery) became a literary icon four decades earlier with a Pulitzer-winning novel, then disappeared (like J.D. Salinger) into his dark, book-filled apartment, agoraphobic and withdrawn from publishing, but as passionate as ever about writing. On a dare, Jamal sneaks into Forrester's musty sanctuary, and what might have been a condescending cliché--homeboy rescued by wiser white mentor--turns into an inspiring meeting of minds, with mutual respect and intelligence erasing boundaries of culture and generation.

Amazon.com

Finding Forrester could have been a shallow variant of The Karate Kid, congratulating itself for featuring a 16-year-old black kid from the South Bronx who's a brilliant scholar-athlete. Instead, director Gus Van Sant plays it matter-of-fact and totally real, casting a nonactor (Rob Brown) as Jamal, a basketball player and gifted student whose writing talent is nurtured by a famously reclusive author. William Forrester (Sean Connery) became a literary icon four decades earlier with a Pulitzer-winning novel, then disappeared (like J.D. Salinger) into his dark, book-filled apartment, agoraphobic and withdrawn from publishing, but as passionate as ever about writing. On a dare, Jamal sneaks into Forrester's musty sanctuary, and what might have been a condescending cliché--homeboy rescued by wiser white mentor--turns into an inspiring meeting of minds, with mutual respect and intelligence erasing boundaries of culture and generation.

Comparisons to Van Sant's Good Will Hunting are inevitable, but Finding Forrester is more honest and less prone to touchy-feely sentiment, as in the way Jamal and a private-school classmate (Anna Paquin) develop a mutual attraction that remains almost entirely unspoken. The film takes a conventional turn when Jamal must defend his integrity (with Forrester's help) in a writing contest judged by a skeptical teacher (F. Murray Abraham), but this ethical subplot is a credible catalyst for Forrester's most dramatic display of friendship. It's one of many fine moments for Connery and Brown (a screen natural), in a memorable film that transcends issues of race to embrace the joy of learning. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

This is a pretty good movie........2007-05-13

I have seen lots of movies. Literally thousands by this point. I definitely consider myself jaded and find most movies predictable. But even so, I enjoyed this film. It's a great Sean Connery is the crumudgeonly grandpa next door role (as opposed to the Sean Connery action man role). And the kid is great. You will remember his BMW speech forever.

WOW DANG ONE OF THE BEST MOVE.......2007-05-08

IT HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST MOVE HE HAS DONE IN SO MEANY WAYS WOW DANG

Great Movie.......2007-05-08

Finding Forrester would have to be one of my favorite movies because I'm a closeted writer with nothing to write about. It is a heart-warming tale about the struggles of adolesence and innercity youth. Great acting all around and great plot.

A Good Film .......2007-03-21

Finding Forrester was an enjoyable film that, while somewhat predictable, manages by the intelligent acting of its leads (Sean Connery and newcomer Rob Brown), to be a somewhat different moviegoing experience. It's the classic story of a teacher slash mentor who finds a kid who needs his help. In the process, the kid teaches him a thing or two as well.

Connery plays a famous writer who stopped writing after his first book was published to great acclaim. He lives in a poor neighborhood in the Bronx, suffers from agoraphobia, loves the drink, and likes to bird watch. He's also crusty as hell. Rob Brown plays Jamal, a sixteen year old writing prodigy who is also handy with a basketball. He lives in the same neighborhood, and he and his b-ball buddies have noticed this strange recluse who seems to be spying on them as they play. Jamal is a bright, guarded, pretty cynical kid whose father has recently left him and his mother and brother.

Connery (a.k.a. Forrester) and Jamal meet, and an unconventional friendship develops. In the meantime, Jamal has been tapped to enter a private school from the public school that no longer serves his intellectual needs.

I liked this film for many reasons: the acting, the fact that it's very unsentimental, and because it proves that reading literature and writing are pleasures available to all people, no matter what their background. Rob Brown is an amazingly good actor for someone who's never appeared in a film before, and Connery is always masterful. I was more than happy to see how their unconventional friendship began and how it develops.

I think this is a film that is worth seeing, and that will warm your heart in the process.

I found Forrester!.......2007-03-04

Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown) is a brilliant student, a great budding writer who is discovered after blowing away his SATs. He is recruited into an elite prep school, but is quickly overwhelmed. For help he seeks the aid of reclusive Pulitzer Prize winning author william Forrester (Sean Connery). Forrester knows the kid has talent, but guides him to discipline and shows him how to find the outlet for his creativity. There is a showdown of sorts at then end with a jealous teacher (F. Murray Abraham) who accuses Wallace of cheating, in which he is partially right.

"Finding Forrester" is a rare movie for me, an inspirational story that actually inspires. Is it hopelessly predictable; yes it is. But that's alright because the joy is in the journey, not the destination. Gus Van Sant is a gifted director for small scale emotional dramas (indeed look at his masterpiece "Good Will Hunting"), and so he's perfect for this material. Connery here finally shakes loose any trace of James Bond by giving a wonderful performance that is centered and warm. As anti-social as he is, he still loves writing and still cares about people, especially those with the potential like Wallace. Brown is amazing as well, didn't over react to the racial bigotry that quietly daunts him at his new school.

"Finding Forrester" may go a little over board with the convention of Connery swooping in at the last minute to say Jamal, but it is done with honesty and a true respect of the characters and the situation they're in, so it's forgivable. Wonderful movie, highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

A 'homogenized' thriller...
WEIRD, QUIRKY, AND COMPELLING...
Excellent 80's style movie.
A good Twilight Zone type horror film

Impulse
Starring: Tim Matheson , Meg Tilly , Hume Cronyn , John Karlen , and Bill Paxton
Director: Graham Baker
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Sleep With Me
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ASIN: B0000AM6IZ
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Description

Tim Matheson and OscarÂ(r) nominees* Meg Tilly and Hume Cronyn come face to face with mankind's deepestand darkestprimal urges in this disturbing and "suspenseful" (Boxoffice) psychological thriller. "Directed with flair" (The Hollywood Reporter) and packed with pulse-quickening twists that spring from its "terrific premise" (The Village Voice), Impulse generates enough electricity to make your hair stand on end! When Jennifer (Tilly) and her boyfriend Stuart (Matheson) return to her idyllic hometown, they discover that all boundaries of civility seem to have eroded. Mystified by the actions of normally kind townspeople who are suddenly driven to extremes of irrationaland violentbehavior, Jennifer and Stuart attempt to get to the bottom of the increasingly life-threatening chaos before it destroys them! * Tilly: Supporting Actress, Agnes of God (1985); Cronyn: Supporting Actor, The Seventh Cross (1945)

Customer Reviews:

A 'homogenized' thriller..........2005-05-06

Given the title and DVD cover art (it shows stars Tim Matheson and Meg Tilly sort of looking up each others noses) for the film Impulse (1984), one might assume this to be a romantic thriller of sorts but it's really a sinister little piece of celluloid that asks the audience to imagine a place where people suddenly started acted on their impulses, doing whatever they wanted whenever they wanted...directed by Graham Baker (Omen III: The Final Conflict, Alien Nation), the film stars Tim `Otter' Matheson (Animal House, Fletch), who also did the voice for Jonny Quest in the 1964 television cartoon series among other things, along with Meg Tilly (Psycho II, The Big Chill). Also appearing is Hume Cronyn (Shadow of a Doubt, Lifeboat), John Karlen (Trilogy of Terror), Claude Earl Jones (Used Cars, Evilspeak, Bride of Re-Animator), Lorinne Vozoff (Chaos Theory), and Bill Paxton, prior to his breakout role in John Hughes 1985 film Weird Science as the smarmy antagonistic brother Chet Donnelly.

The story begins in what looks like a small, Californian town with shots of various animals acting peculiar, followed by a rather minor earthquake...you see, animals possess sensitivities much greater than that of humans, therefore imminent natural phenomenon can cause strange behavior in said animals...we then cut to establishing scenes in some major metropolitan city featuring both Matheson and Tilly, one showing Matheson's character, named Stuart, operating on a patient in a surgery room, the other showing Tilly's character, named Jenny, practicing ballet. Turns out the two are a couple, and after a disturbing phone call from Jenny's mother (Vozoff), one that ends with mom doing something completely unpredictable, the couple takes a trip to Jenny's small hometown, the same place that recently had the earthquake, where Stuart gets to meet the family, including Jenny's father Bob (Karlen), and her brother Eddie (Paxton), along with the local doctor named Carr, played by Cronyn. There's a bit of mystery behind the recent injury suffered by Jenny's mother, but this is soon overshadowed by strange behavior among some of the residents of the small town in that their actions seem to be those of impulse, with no regards for the consequences, including old men urinating in the streets, petty theft, actions based on uncontrolled rage, and public displays of lustful affection. Soon these relatively minor events become more and more common (and serious), and Stuart suspects a possible infection, but his efforts to discern the source of the madness are hampered by the ever increasing violent activity of the citizens, turning it into a veritable thunderdome, and also the very real possibility that he, himself, may be infected...

This was an interesting film, but overall it felt like something that wasn't quite cooked long enough, like a half finished episode of the X-Files, sans Mulder and Scully. The increasing severity of the impulsive behavior among the townspeople was an fun aspect, because you have all these seemingly normal people doing things completely unexpected, and there was always the question of how far it would end up going (it went further than I thought). As others have mention, something much like this story has been done previously with George Romero's 1973 film The Crazies, although as you might expect, that film features a lot more violence, while Impulse obviously exhibits a larger budget and better production values and was produced for a more mainstream audience. I did like the `loose' feel of the story, but I felt no real connection to any of the characters. While I think both Matheson and Tilly are good actors, there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry between their characters, something I'd attribute more to the script rather than the performers themselves. And why did there seem so little interest in what happened to Jenny's mother shortly after the film begins? I would have thought such a bizarre action from a relatively normal and well-balanced (I'm assuming these last bits) individual would have raised a number of red flags, not to mention the increased unrestrained activity among some of the townspeople (not everyone in the town suffered from the unknown affliction). While there is dialog in the film, its overall effect felt minimal to me, as it seemed the director's intent was to tell much of the story through visuals (the opening sequences will make little sense until you get further into the film). This did work to some degree, but it's like building a brick wall without using any mortar...you can do it, and it may stand, but it will tumble due to lack of solidity. For those interested, there is some nekkidness in the film, but none from Ms. Tilly...what we do get is a full moon shot from Mr. Matheson. I don't mind male nekkidness in a film, but at least offset it with some of the female kind. There's a reason why female nekkidness is more prevalent in films over male nekkidness and that's because women's bodies are generally much better looking than men's bodies...that and the fact most of the films are made by men, but I digress...I think my favorite scene from the film featured the local sheriff, played by Jones, as he's pursuing a vandalism suspect and ends up doing something which I'm sure many law enforcement officials would probably love to do at least once, perhaps not with regards to such a minor offence, but still...the ending was good, a little unexpected, but looking back on it, it seemed a very realistic, if not frightening, reaction to the situation.

The picture quality was very good, what of it I could see as the only version available on this DVD is the full screen, pan and scan format (1.33:1), the same one featured in the earlier Anchor Bay release. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mono audio comes through clean and clear. There are subtitles available in English, Spanish, and French, but as far as any real special features, there are none.

Cookieman108

Oh, by the way, did anyone else think it strange that Stuart and Jenny should take a bus to travel to Jenny's hometown? Especially since Stuart is some kind of medical doctor?

WEIRD, QUIRKY, AND COMPELLING..........2001-06-25

In the quiet, little, rural town of Sutcliffe in Anywhere, USA, its citizens are suddenly freed from all constraints. They begin acting out their unspoken thoughts. They lose all self control. The town goes from being an idyllic, sleepy little pueblo to a hot bed of sex, murder, and raging testosterone. All its citizens seem to be acting on impulse.

Meg Tilly and Tim Matheson star as a young couple in love in this unsung film. Their world is turned upside down, when Meg's mother does something unspeakable. Suddenly, it is as if their entire world has gone awry. Look for Hume Cronyn who is wonderfully cast as the trusted, family doctor. See what he does when he gets sick and tired of his patient, Meg's mother. A very young Bill Paxton plays Meg Tilly's brother. Trust me, he has his own problems. See what happens to Tim Matheson, when he gives in to a sudden impulse. Will true love win out? Watch the film and find out for yourself. It is well worth viewing.

This movie is reminiscent of a very good Twilight Zone episode. At times I felt as if I were waiting for Rod Sterling to interject himself into the film with a narrative. It is a very interesting and quirky film. Some of the scenes are quite startling. Those who enjoy sci-fi, horror, and off beat films, will enjoy this one.

Excellent 80's style movie........1999-07-12

This was not a made for TV movie. I saw this at the theatre when it was released in 1984. What it is lacking in acting, it makes up for in substance. It presents a story of what could happen if we were to lose control of our Freudian "ID" or our impluse center. Everyone has experienced the rage response sometime in their lives. Having studied behavioral science for years this behavior has been duplicated in the laboratory. This is an excellent film for psychology students or anyone interested in human behavior. Since the government really does have a terrible problem with hazardous waste disposal, the implications of this film are very real.

A good Twilight Zone type horror film.......1999-04-03

I saw this on tv years ago. I believe it was made for tv. A pre-fame Bill Paxton has a small role as Tilly's older brother. It's a good entertaining movie. It's not gory. It's actually a rip-off of the George Romero film "The Crazies" from 1974. It's the exact same plot but Impulse is much, much better. I think there's also a Shatner version of Impulse from the 70's. Don't believe what L.Maltin says.

Average customer rating:

A 'homogenized' thriller...
WEIRD, QUIRKY, AND COMPELLING...
Excellent 80's style movie.
A good Twilight Zone type horror film

Impulse
Starring: Tim Matheson , Meg Tilly , Hume Cronyn , John Karlen , and Bill Paxton
Director: Graham Baker
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Sleep With Me
One Dark Night
Masquerade
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F/X

ASIN: 6305297312
Release Date: 1999-01-19

Customer Reviews:

A 'homogenized' thriller..........2005-05-06

WEIRD, QUIRKY, AND COMPELLING..........2001-06-25

Excellent 80's style movie........1999-07-12

A good Twilight Zone type horror film.......1999-04-03

Average customer rating:

HIGHLY ABSORBING, WELL-ACTED FILM...
Great actors, formula movie

Finding Forrester [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Dead Poets Society (Special Edition)
Finding Forrester

ASIN: B00005JGS6

Customer Reviews:

HIGHLY ABSORBING, WELL-ACTED FILM..........2006-04-27

This is a heartwarming movie with fine performances by Sean Connery, newcomer Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham, Michael Nouri, and Anna Pacquin. Well directed by Gus Van Sant, the film revolves around the two main characters, William Forrester, played by Sean Connery, and sixteen year old Kamal, played by Rob Brown.
William Forrester is a writer who, battling his own inner demons, has remained reclusive after writing a Pulitzer Prize winning novel some forty odd years earlier. Living alone in a changing neighborhood in the Bronx, he makes the acquaintance of Kamal, an intellectually gifted inner city kid, who plays street basketball, loves to write, and does both well.

A mentoring relationship springs between the two. Under Forrester's secret tutorship, Kamal blossoms. When Kamal's scholastic test scores come to the attention of a local prep school, school officials offer him a scholarship to attend and, if he chooses to do so, play basketball on the school team. The school also turns out to be William Forrester's alma mater, where he is revered and his prize winning novel is required reading.

There, Kamal encounters rank racism, all the more insidious because it is covert. F. Murray Abraham plays a teacher who is very similar to the character, Salieri, whom Abraham portrayed in the film "Amadeus". A failed writer who became a teacher, Abraham oozes racism as he contrives to destroy Kamal whom he accuses of plagirism, as he clearly believes him to be just another inner city, black basketball player who is incapable of anything more. He cannot seem to fathom that this kid could possibly write as well as he does, because he has Kamal stereotyped.

Yet, Kamal is actually all that he puports to be, a gifted writer who just also happens to play basketball. Truly scholarly, he shows up his teacher in class, only to further exacerbate his emnity. This teacher's dislike and covert racism manifests itself in the exclusion of Kamal's entry in the prestigious writing competition sponsored by the prep school. This situation comes to a head when the teacher's racism is exposed for what it is in a stunning, surprising climax.

Kamal, however, is not the only one to have a moment of redemption in the movie. Forrester, too, has that moment as he comes to grips with his past, the past that made him shut the world out for so long. It is his friendship with Kamal that illuminates his return to the very world from which he had withdrawn long ago.

This film is about a friendship that is borne out of a shared passion. It is about the old nurturing the young. It is about passing the baton from one generation to the next. It is a film the transcends age and race. It is a film for everyone.

Great actors, formula movie.......2006-03-02

It has been done a million times and this won't be the last time the "teacher, student, rebel," mechanism will be tried. Take one recluse (Sean Connery) and an aspiring under privileged student (Rob Brown VI) to cancel out a dysfunctional environment. They even have a common nasty antagonist (F. Murray Abraham) to pick on.

Predictability is not the problem. It starts out so noisy that you will have to turn the sound off for the first five minutes. Everything from the story to the environment to the camera shots is mediocre. Anything that may have been of use for writing or refereed to writing is glossed over with music or faded out. You can be assured this movie has nothing to do with writing other than hitting the (typewriter) keys hard enough. The characters (not that the actors did not try) had no depth. Too many things were inferred from obscure camera shots. You get the picture.