Finding Forrester (2000)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writer (WGA):

Mike Rich (written by)

Release Date:

19 December 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In an ordinary place, he found the one person to make his life extraordinary.

Plot:

An afro-american teen writing prodigy finds a mentor in a reclusive author.

Plot Keywords:

School | Writing | Basketball | Recluse | New York

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 16

10:30 AM

MAX

Cast

Sean Connery	...	William Forrester
Rob Brown	...	Jamal Wallace
F. Murray Abraham	...	Prof. Robert Crawford
Anna Paquin	...	Claire Spence
Busta Rhymes	...	Terrell Wallace
April Grace	...	Ms. Joyce
Michael Pitt	...	John Coleridge
Michael Nouri	...	Dr. Spence
Richard Easton	...	Prof. Matthews
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Massie, Forrester's Delivery Man
Lil' Zane	...	Damon (as Zane Copeland Jr.)
Stephanie Berry	...	Janice Wallace
Fly Williams III	...	Fly
Damany Mathis	...	Kenzo
Damion Lee	...	Clay

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual references.

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS (8 channels)

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37271) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-7 | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:A | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden - 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The song missing from the distributed soundtrack is titled "Gassenhauer" ("Street Song"). It is the background tune used while Forrester rides his bike. Composer Carl Orff (1895-1982), whose rendition is used in the film, gave its possible year of origin as 1536 by lutenist Hans Neusiedler.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the basketball championship game played at Madison Square Garden, the three point lines are clearly NBA distance, but in high school competition, the distance of the lines should be about four feet closer to the basket.

Quotes:

Forrester: No thinking - that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is... to write, not to think!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09" (2008)

A transcendent film

Director Gus Van Sant also directed `Good Will Hunting' and this film has essentially the same plot. An underprivileged youth is discovered by a reclusive genius and is shepherded to his full potential. What GWH was to math, this film is to literature. They are such close cousins that Van Sant felt compelled to bring in Matt Damon for a cameo.

Regardless of the familiar plot, `Finding Forrester' succeeds because of an excellent screenplay and outstanding acting performances by Sean Connery, Rob Brown and F. Murray Abraham. This kind of story can't help grabbing the audience at a human level. Genius, suppressed by societal class, struggles to emerge and it beats the odds. The story is transcendent for both the main characters. Forrester (Sean Connery) helps Jamal (Rob Wallace) transcend his societal constraints to realize his potential as a writer, and Jamal helps Forrester to transcend the constraints of his emotional traumas to free him as a human being. It is a triumphant story, very uplifting.

Van Sant does a good job of presenting the human element and developing the characters while keeping the photography effective but in the background. The photography is very straightforward, allowing the characters to tell the story without the intrusive use of stylish shots that are all to prevalent lately. Van Sant gives Forrester's apartment a dark and dreary look from a color and lighting perspective, which is particularly effective.

Sean Connery is in top form and continues to make the case for being one of our best and most treasured actors. He gives a virtuoso performance in this film with a complex and ornery character. It is a powerful and moving portrayal. Rob Brown is phenomenal in his first feature film. He was found in a talent search and made an impressive debut with an extremely mature performance. With the right scripts, he has a good chance of having a bright future. F. Murray Abraham is fantastic as the haughty English teacher, who gets his just deserts.

This is a highly intelligent film with a strong story, steady direction and marvelous acting. I rated it a 9/10. Despite an all too familiar storyline, it differentiates itself by its wide-ranging excellence. For those who enjoy good dramatic performances and intriguing character studies, this film is not to be missed.