glenn-20964 This movie, Finding Forrester, just speaks to me. I have watched it over and over. Tremendous acting and the story is wonderful. I bought this for a friend who had surgery to pick them up.

Artur Machado This movie shares many similarities with "Good Will Hunting"; let's face it: the same director (Gus Van Sant) and basically the same story, but instead of a problematic mathematical prodigy we have an apathetic literary prodigy, although not as apathetic when playing basketball, and instead of Robbie Williams as a mentor / psychologist , we have Sean Connery as an improbable mentor / writing teacher. At the end of the film, I think Van Sant even scorns the situation, as we have a brief appearance by Matt Damon (lead actor on "Good Will Hunting") only to report that Forrester died. This movie is also tedious and boring. A drama that fulfills the goals of inspirational film to some viewers, but in my cynical assessment it did not inspire me so much to the point of giving it more than 4/10.If you want to watch this bore be my guest, but on the same topic of "kids' school drama about growing up", you'll be a whole lot better served with "Dead Poets Society". That's my suggestion. Now that one is a true masterpiece.

matthewmccleary-85607 Raised in the Bronx along side thugs and criminals, Jamal Wallace possesses an impressive set of intellectual skills which many do not. Afraid to stand out, Jamal hides his intelligence only showing it on the school's standardized test. Shortly after revealing his gift, Jamal stumbles upon William Forrester, a famous book writer that had been out of the media for years. After Jamal discovers Forrester, a bond forms as the two create works of writing together which Jamal will uses for his school. After receiving Jamal's test scores, a prestigious private school, Mailor Callow, ask Jamal to attend their school for free. Accepting their offer, Jamal has to overcome the challenges of changing schools and face new people such as his professor Mr. Crawford who is not as smart as Jamal therefore feels threatened by Jamal's attendance. Jamal battles through school with the help of his new found friend Forrester who in the end, gets Jamal into a tangle by helping him. Jamal and Forrester grow close to each other as time goes on helping each other with their battles and finding peace and happiness in each other.The film Finding Forrester is possible one of the best films in existence. Showing the challenges of life and how a well bonded friendship can fix nearly anything, the film reaches out and touches your heart while still being humorous and showing what life is like in the Bronx. Unlike most other films Finding Forrester allows the viewer to see that not everyone's life is cotton candy and rainbows, however it does show that even with a tough life, everyone still has the opportunity to succeed in life. I believe that many people would enjoy this film seeing that it is a story of success and who doesn't like to hear about other peoples accomplishments. Also if, like myself, you come from a family of people that don't attend college let alone finish high school, this film is easy to connect with giving it a personal touch.Throughout this movie the director had several different archetypes that made the movie almost seem like a fairy tale. One major archetype in this film was William Forrester who was "the mentor". Teaching Jamal several life lessons Forrester helped Jamal through the tough times and even helped fight off Jamal's "evil adversary" Mr. Crawford. Mr. Crawford repeatedly attacked Jamal throughout the film until finally trying to kick him out of the school due to Jamal's intelligence. Jamal's "mentor" Forrester lived in an apartment that could be seen as a "tower". This apartment was his tower of solitude which he hardly ever came out of and almost seemed if he was locked away for life hiding from pesky paparazzi. Throughout most of the movie the scenes show a dark and gloomy sky almost as if their is a darkness over Jamal, however in the end of the movie after both Jamal and Forrester have overcome their challenges the skies clear up and everyone is happy. I believe that the writer and director created these different archetypes to represent that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that just because you were born somewhere or in a family of certain people, that does not mean you have to live your whole life in that place.

parkerchristian-56676 Finding Forrester, written by Mike Rich and directed by Gus VanSant, is a drama filled film about a young African-American teenager who is from the very middle of the Bronks. Jamal Wallace, the teenage boy, played by Rob Brown, is not like most boys his age. Jamal has a talent, a talent that will surely change his life forever.When Jamal gets peer pressured into breaking into the creepy old man's window in the upstairs of the Bronks apartment building, something happens that he would have never expected. After losing his bag in the apartment in the wake of being spooked by the old man, he finds it in the street a day later, right below the window. Inside the bags he finds all of his writing graded so to speak. Jamal decides to go back to the apartment room and find out who it is, and after a little confrontation he is surprised to find out that the "creepy old man" is none other than the one and only William Forrester, played by Sean Connery. A few days later Jamal and his mother get called to the principal's office for a meeting only to find out that Jamal has been given the chance to go to a private school by the name of Mailor-Callow. Although he was skeptical, he takes the offer.Even though that it is not everything he was expecting, he still does not give up. With his new friend William Forrester helping him through it all, which to me makes him an archetypal hero, he starts doing great until a confrontation with Prof. Crawford or possibly a so called villain, played by F. Murray Abraham, leads to them finding out some interesting things out about one of Jamal's essays, things started to take a downfall. Worried that he might get kicked out, he had to find something to do. With no more options left, Forrester makes for a good surprise. The ending takes a turn that no one was expecting. It surely does not leave you hanging. This is the type of movie that you do not leave the theater mad about. Overall I would say this film is fit for many audiences. It has humor, drama, and even a little bit of action. In my opinion this movie would be a high four out of five stars.