Swimming Upstream (2002)

The scrapbook of most teenagers shows family members and friends at a picnic, at the high school basketball game, at Disneyland. Morris Bird III's, however, paints a different picture. This... See full summary »

Director:

Robert J. Emery

Writers:

Robert J. Emery, Don Robertson (novel)

Stars:

Matt Czuchry, Ben Savage, Jeffrey DeMunn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Matt Czuchry	...	Morris Bird III
Ben Savage	...	Teddy Benevides
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Dr. Henry Berkson
Kelly Rutherford	...	Sandra Bird
Elisabeth Harnois	...	Julie Sutton
Ron Dean
Michael Moriarty	...	Morris Bird II
Barbara Orson
Marian Varon	...	Sister
Edwin W. Thurston
Justin Ordman	...	Brother
Patrick Gore
Patricia Fellows
Eric Ruben	...	Man Shopper
Caleb Neves	...	Mt. Hope soccer team

Storyline

The scrapbook of most teenagers shows family members and friends at a picnic, at the high school basketball game, at Disneyland. Morris Bird III's, however, paints a different picture. This happy-go-lucky, all-American kid whose only wish in life is to get laid by his cute, but hesitant girlfriend suddenly faces terminal cancer, bringing painful and difficult issues to the surface. Picture an alcoholic father, played by Michael Moriarty, whose devotion to the bottle and mastery of self-pity keeps him from communicating with his son and daughter. Picture a teenage boy whose English teacher encourages him to write; he's eloquent, full of passion for life, and is the type of free-spirit who goes against the grain, walking up on the wrong side of the escalator. Picture a best friend, played by Ben Savage, who may not be the most mature person in the world, but his support makes up for that. Then there's a sister who nurses the wounds felt from living in a fractured family. Now try to ...

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Plot Keywords:

alcoholic father | alcoholic | escalator | best friend | cancer | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and a scene of sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Company Credits

Production Co:

Media Entertainment, Upstream Productions Pty. Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Morris Bird III: Have you ever loved anybody, Teddy?
Teddy Benevides: Sure, my mother and my father. But only until I was 12.
Morris Bird III: I was being serious.
Teddy Benevides: Yeah, me too.

User Reviews

Lovely family drama that we can all relate to.

This film is full of heart. I enjoyed the cast and the story line. This is a story that almost any adult or teenager can relate to. The small new england town is beautiful. Morris is the main character and has many issues to deal with at a young age. His girlfriend and his sister are the people who help his growth. His father is trying to make up for all the bad times. Morris has a best friend played by Ben Savage who shares all the ups and downs with him. There are laughs and there are tears too. It is easy to get involved in this story and just enjoy it. I hope others can enjoy this film too.