Tweekums Clark Kellogg is a student from Vermont about to start university in New York. Things don't get off to a good start; the man who gives him a ride from the station steals his money and his luggage then his main lecturer says he must by $700 worth of books. He sees the thief again and chases him; he catches the man but he tells Clark the money is gone… but he can get him a job. The job turns out to be working for Carmine Sabatini, a man who strongly resembles 'The Godfather'. The job sounds suspicious $500 to pick up a package at the airport and deliver it to a specified address. The package turns out to be a Komodo dragon. The job doesn't quite go to plan but it is ultimately delivered. Later he learns that the dragon is due to be the main course at the 'Gourmet Club' an illegal restaurant where people pay a fortune to dine on the most endangered species. Soon government agents are putting pressure on him after being tipped off by his step-father and Carmine's daughter Tina is convinced that Clark will marry her! Clark is clearly out of his depth.I first saw this film in the cinema while on holiday then forgot about it till recently when I picked up the DVD… I must say I really enjoyed it. The story is obviously silly but it is played relatively straight and provides plenty of laughs. Matthew Broderick is on fine form as Clark and Marlon Brando is great fun as he sends up his character from 'The Godfather'; as this is directly referenced it could easily have broken the suspension of disbelief but actually it worked amazingly well. The rest of the cast are solid too; most notably Bruno Kirby who is a lot of fun as Victor, the thief who introduces Clark to Carmine. The scenes between Broderick and Brando are one highlight of the film; another is the scene where the Komodo dragon escapes and causes havoc in a shopping mall… even if the film doesn't actually feature a real Komodo dragon; that would have been far too dangerous and impractical! The ending feature a nice twist that doesn't feel out of place with what happened before. Overall this is a fun film that I'd certainly recommend to anybody wanting good inoffensive entertainment.

belnapmaren While The Freshman had some qualities in common with bigger crime films, it took a very different spin on old standards. Where most crime movies focus on dark themes and serious, sometimes violent social issues, The Freshman focused on the humor in difficult and strange situations. In the beginning of the film, we are introduced to Matthew Broderick in the role of Clark Kellogg. His stepfather, Dwight, is a pro- animal and environmental extremist, the definition of a tree hugger. After years of humiliation at the hands of his stepfather, young Clark has no qualms about leaving his home to start school in New York. However, during his first day in the big city, he is scammed out of all his money and schoolbooks.In order to re-earn the money required to remain in his classes, Clark decides to attend a suspicious interview with a potential employer, Carmine Sabatini (Marlon Brando.) Clark decides to accept the offer of a flexible job with few hours and big money. He is not terribly worried about the situation- until he finds out his first job is to transport an endangered kimono dragon (How will his stepfather feel about that?). While I liked the movie, In terms of plot, this film fell short: it was pretty clichéd, and story elements were typical of other gangster films. Contemporary audiences will not be surprised when Kellogg is roped into the crime gang and works his way to the top, because we saw the same thing happen in The Godfather, with Michael Corleone. Plot line aside, this film is very enjoyable. It is an encounter of the blurred kind, an adventure as crazy and as unexpected as it can get. Despite occasional plot clichés and fixes, it's a brilliantly told tale. It really nails its comedic angle; it seizes you in its first seconds, captivates you for two short hours and leaves you feeling a little happier than before.

wimeli Modest, warm, tone-perfect, good-hearted...this film SHOULD be enjoyed by the all of humanity, in the same vein as The Princess Bride, Saving Grace, King of Hearts...etc. These are some of my favorite films...and The Freshman stands right alongside...if this doesn't make you smile, you have yet to enjoy subtle joys in life...hopefully this paves the way! Also recommended: Harold and Maude, Mystery Alaska, My First Mister, and Almost Famous...Marlon Brando is a blast, Matthew Broderick is Matthew Broderick and Penelope Ann Miller is sexy sweet...no moment is overwrought or underdone...the deceit is a treat and the punchline makes everyone happy!!!

david-sarkies A young boy (Matthew Broderick) travels from his home in Vermont to attend a film school in New York. When he arrives, he is cautious, especially when he is approached by a man offering him a ride, but he ends up being convinced by him, and is duly ripped off. As such he is stuck in New York with no clothes and no money to buy his required texts, and no way of getting any more as his step father is not really all that concerned about him.Then he sees the guy who ripped him off walking down and road, and he chases him and catches up with him. The guy offers him a job with his uncle who turns out to be a godfather figure (Marlon Brando). Brando immediately take Broderick on board as his own son, but Broderick becomes more suspicious and cautious when he learns that he has helped Brando import an endangered Komodo Dragon into New York. This concern escalates when he is confronted by two FBI agents who want Brando for running meals in which endangered animals are served as the main course.There are a lot of twists in this movie though, and there is an elaborate plan running throughout. At times it seems as if this is unrealistic, but the movie did manage to suspend my disbelief, and brought me into the interactions between Brando and Broderick, which is the keystone of this film. It is not a crime thriller or an action movie, but rather a movie that explores the nature of fatherhood, and I think this does it well.Broderick's stepfather does not treat him as a son, and thus Broderick has no respect for him. After Broderick gets out of the situation, his stepfather offers him a hand of friendship to which Broderick refuses. Instead he takes Brando's hand for Brando is his true father figure and Broderick looked up to him as such. This created the main conflict in the movie: it was not between Broderick and the FBI or against Brando, but rather within himself. Broderick is torn between honouring his new found father, or betraying him and turning him into the FBI.The Freshman is a very well made movie. It has some good themes, ones that arise form within the movie rather than the movie being tied around them. It acknowledges one of the desires in our hearts to find a true father, a father that will not turn our back on us, and will be willing to provide everything, including a wife.To me I have found that father, and that father is God, for God is our Father in heaven. He is a father that will never betray us of hit us, and is willing to discipline us when we do wrong. He loves us so much that he is willing to sacrifice himself to forgive us for turning away from us. God is not an earthly father, he is a heavenly and is perfect in everyway, and he promises that he will always provide for us and will always be there for us. He understands everything we go through and more, and to see this we need to look at the life of Jesus, for Jesus is God.