Sean's surprisingly sublimely superb story (Finding Forrester (DVD))

Member Name: rose_haire

Product:	Finding Forrester (DVD)
Date:	01/03/01 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: sean sean sean sean sean sean

Disadvantages: bit long, apparently too predictable

I bet you've not heard of this film. I certainly hadn't before Monday night when an attack of cinema-itches prompted me to go and see the only film that looked vaguely intereting at Warners. Not knowing anything about the film, and presuming I had just missed hearing about a big new release, I booked my ticket online and paid the extra 40p, succumbing to one of Warner Brothers' bigger rip-offs. Thankfully I resisted the temptation to throw some of my loan at them in exchange for popcorn with no sauce on it. But that's a different rant entirely.

Finding Forrester was only playing in one of the weeny cinemas downstairs, and didn't even have a full house 2 days after it was released. This points towards a quick exit from the cinema - go and see it now before you miss it! The story follows Jamal Wallace, a black kid in the Bronx with a talent for writing but dreams of basketball stardom. How are they gonna get this kid to meet Sean Connery's cranky ol' writer-chap, I thought to myself.

Jamal undertakes a dare and enters Sean's apartment, leaves his bag behind and thus starts up an unlikely friendship (cliche alert). Now I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to refer to Sean as Sean throughout this review, mainly because I am obssessed with him. Lovely lovely man. ahem. anyway. He plays the cantankerous William Forrester, a one-hit wonder of an author who spends his days living off royalty cheques in a musty old apartment.

Jamal goes on to private school, leaving behind his homies and enters a writing contest. I won't reveal any more of the plot; while the film is a bit long, and quite slow to get started, it's made u pfor by the high standard of acting. I've heard complaints that the storyline's predictable; I went to see it with a crowd of Cambridge undergrads and we all made hopelessly wrong guesses at the future events of the storyline. I didn't see the end coming at all, although apoar
ently it was very clear. Maybe I'm just stoopid.

The acting in this flick is top-notch. Sean Connery brings pathos, vulnerability and likeability to a cranky old man, while Rob Brown's performance as Jamal is solidly good throughout. Sean was for me the standout performer of the film; he had me in tears at points while aching for him at others. He perfectly conveys the essence of William Forrester, a nervous yet brusque man weakened by years of solitude. While he is not present at the conclusion of the film, his performance preceding the end makes the script even more believable, and lends extra emotional punch to the conclusion.

The movie is also beautifully shot in muted undertones and as daseaford has said, the opening montage of the bronx is great. I'm not a big fan of violent, gory action-fests, and as a soppy English student this film was perfect for me. I really think it's one of the undiscovered highlights of this year's cinema so far; it's got that x-factor meaning it's still touching me four days afterwards. I wanted to sit to the end of the credits, but my friends forced me to leave. Please go and tell me if there's a hannibal-stylee extra at the end, and I'll be eternally grateful!

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