It takes us inside the head of a young man whose black friends are suspicious of anyone who studies too hard and whose white colleagues wonder if he can study hard enough. Those two voyages make it worthwhile.
Finding Forrester (2000)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:89
Rotten:32
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: Despite the predictability of its plot and its similarity to Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester has an honest, solid feel to it and good rapport between Connery and Brown.
Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Dec 20, 2000 Limited
Box Office: $51,370,406
Synopsis: Director Gus Van Sant brings to the screen this moving story of a grizzled recluse and an inner-city teenager brought together by their shared passion for writing. Like Van Sant's Oscar-nominated... Director Gus Van Sant brings to the screen this moving story of a grizzled recluse and an inner-city teenager brought together by their shared passion for writing. Like Van Sant's Oscar-nominated GOOD WILL HUNTING, FINDING FORRESTER earnestly explores the struggles of a youthful genius whose position in society (underprivileged kid from the wrong side of the tracks) makes him seem destined for failure until he forms a relationship with a gifted but introverted mentor who helps him see the light.The youthful genius is a talented urban basketball player named Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), who in his spare time reads everything he can get his hands on, secretly scribbling prose and poetry into a composition pad. The introverted mentor is William Forrester (Sean Connery), who took the literary world by storm with his debut novel, AVALON RISING, 50 years earlier but now spends whole days shut inside his Bronx apartment looking out the window onto a basketball court where Jamal hangs out. Buoyed by excellent performances from Connery and newcomer Brown, FINDING FORRESTER paints a compelling, alluring portrait of friendship while offering intriguing insights into the heart and soul of the dedicated writer. [More]
Starring: Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin, F. Murray Abraham
Starring: Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin, F. Murray Abraham, Busta Rhymes, Michael Nouri, Tom Mullica, Lil' Zane
Director: Gus Van Sant
Director: Gus Van Sant
Screenwriter: Mike Rich
Producer: Laurence Mark, Sean Connery, Rhonda Tollefson
Studio: Columbia Pictures
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Reviews for Finding Forrester
The well-constructed script isn't especially original, but it gives the Forrester/Jamal relationship time to grow and it makes sure the plot developments are firmly rooted in the specifics of character.
A conventional stew of overblown, bogus emotion and rigged catharsis.
When the movie conveys the light in a student's eyes, and those of his teacher, at the moment when knowledge has been shared, it's a story that can never be told often enough.
There is nothing more appealing to watch in a movie than one character teaching another, except perhaps when two characters teach each other.
The only real lesson we take away is that plagiarism can be OK as long as people don't remember the original source material.
Try to make your mind a blank slate for Van Sant's full intended effect... Good.
A film which celebrates intellect, learning and writing, making it a very rare commodity these days. While it isn't a great film, it is a refreshing change from the usual dreck.
Despite the fact that most seasoned moviegoers can predict Finding Forrester from beginning to end with the greatest of ease, the movie remains a delight thanks to its first rate performances.
The problem is that viewers will have no trouble predicting most every turn along the way.
Brown’s immense likability, exceptional maturity, understated authority and quiet decency steal the picture away.
A transparent attempt by director Gus Van Sant to repeat the Oscar success of his earlier Good Will Hunting.
Thanks to the strong performances from the leads and the fun interaction and often smartly written dialogue between them, the film manages to be entertaining and engaging more often than it's not.
Sure, maybe Gus has gone Hollywood, but at least he's gone there sideways -- fully aware that a soul is a terrible thing to waste.
A solidly enjoyable, fairly cerebral feature raised above its roots by stout performances from its two leads.
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
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| 77% 77% | The Hangover |
| 88% 88% | Inglourious Basterds |
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 24% 24% | G-Force |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
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| 82% 82% | Paranormal Activity |
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