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Movies / On DVD / Finding Forrester
Finding Forrester

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Finding Forrester (2000)

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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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Release:

Apr 24, 2001

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Reviews for Finding Forrester

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81 - 100 (sorted by date)
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Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

An enjoyable film, made more so by the performances ... and by dozens of thoughtful touches like Bill Frisell's delicate score.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
12/24/00
Doug Kim
Doug Kim
Seattle Times

It might've worked better if the film had tried harder to turn these characters into living, breathing people, instead of the bickering odd couple that's become such a stereotype.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
12/24/00
Eric Harrison
Eric Harrison
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Its intentions are honorable, but its portrait of youth, urban, academic and literary culture is Mesozoic.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
12/24/00
Duane Dudek
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Warm and likable -- and, during the holidays, warm and likable is often what moviegoers want.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
12/24/00
Philip Wuntch
Philip Wuntch
Dallas Morning News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The real reason to see it is for the remarkable debut of Rob Brown. Now, here is a kid who is worth the price of admission.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
12/22/00
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

A solid entry into the 'teacher/student' genre.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
12/22/00
Laura Clifford
Laura Clifford
Reeling Reviews

Van Sant takes the cliches and gives them a half spin that makes them seem fresh and almost accidental. He's like an inspired jazz musician improvising on an old, too-familiar tune and making it his own.

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
12/22/00
Jay Boyar
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel

The story is schematic and the hero/villain matchup a little too obvious, but never underestimate the charisma of Connery.

comment Comment
12/22/00
Mike Clark
Mike Clark
USA Today
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Movies about writers are notoriously hard to do, since writing by its nature is not cinematic. Finding Forrester evades that problem by giving us a man who wrote one good novel a long time ago, and now writes no more.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
12/22/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Finding Forrester manages to take the cerebral act of literary creation and make it exciting, sexy even.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
12/22/00
Michael O'Sullivan
Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

At first glance, Gus Van Sant's Finding Forrester seems a retread of his popular Good Will Hunting... However, Finding Forrester offers more than enough additional themes and rich characters to justify the new spin.

Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
12/22/00
Jack Garner
Jack Garner
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

A competent, highly functional heart-warmer.

Full Review Source: Citysearch | comment Comment
12/22/00
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Citysearch

A well-acted, if overly familiar, tale of an unlikely friendship.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
12/22/00
Steve Murray
Steve Murray
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A quiet little gem with a beautiful show by Connery -- one of the noblest performances of his career.

Full Review Source: MovieJuice! | comment Comment
12/21/00
Mark Ramsey
Mark Ramsey
MovieJuice!

[Van Sant's] visual lyricism and uncondescending attitude toward almost everyone on screen ensure that the film won't succumb to formula.

comment Comment
12/21/00
Mark Caro
Mark Caro
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Van Sant should be lauded for taking on a movie that places such a high premium on the life of the mind.

Full Review Source: Orlando Weekly | comment Comment
12/21/00
Philip Booth
Philip Booth
Orlando Weekly

A good movie... maybe even better than good.

comment Comment
12/21/00
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
New Times

The unlikely friendship is touchingly authentic thanks to genuine and profound performances from Connery and newcomer Pitt.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
12/20/00
Christine James
Christine James
Boxoffice Magazine

A simplistic, irritating, and often ridiculous travesty posing as a feel-good movie.

Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
12/20/00
Rod Armstrong
Rod Armstrong
Reel.com

The movie eventually turns ridiculous, as you thought it might.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
12/20/00
John Anderson
John Anderson
Newsday
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
81 - 100 (sorted by date)
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