Flipped (I) (2010) User Reviews

An unexpected gem.

[lewiskendell · 8/10 · 22 December 2010]

"All I ever wanted was for Juli Baker to leave me alone."

Flipped is easily the best love story/relationship movie I've seen since (500) Days of Summer. I'm the kind of guy that you couldn't pay to watch a Nicholas Sparks movie, but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a good movie about the highs and lows of love. In a year of formulaic, mind-numbing flicks with no imagination or heart like Letters to Juliet, Flipped is a welcome breath of fresh air. 

It's about 8 or so years in the lives of two kids who meet when when one of them moves into a new neighborhood. Juli (played by Morgan Lily and Madeline Carroll) is instantly smitten by Bryce (Ryan Ketzner and Callan McAuliffe) the second she sees him drive up to his new house. Bryce, being a typical second grade boy, finds her attention embarrassing and unwanted. As they get older, that dynamic between them remains pretty much the same, but we wouldn't have a very interesting movie if that's all there was to it. Eventually Bryce finds himself on the other side of the equation (flipped, get it?), and has to win back the girl he never knew he always wanted.

How odd is it that a movie about a couple of kids handles the topic of love in a more mature and genuine way than almost all of the adult-oriented romantic comedies that we're buried under each year? There's no doubt about it that Flipped will make you say "aww" on occasion, but there's a lot more to it than just kids being cute. Humor, issues of class, family conflict, and the lost idealism of youth are introduced into the story by Bryce and Juli's respective families, and there are several outright bittersweet or poignant scenes within the story.

The movie is shown from the POV's of both main characters, and often the same event will be shown from each of their perspectives. It works really well, as it really helps the viewer to "get" both Bryce and Juli. The kids chosen to play the older versions of the two (Carroll and McAuliffe) are both great, the fact that the story is set in 50's or 60's suburbia adds a believable sense of innocence to it all, and there is just a fresh feeling to the movie that I can't really describe with words.

I heartily recommend this to anyone who likes a good, well-written movie, regardless of the genre. You can tell that a lot of heart went into making Flipped, and it shows. Great movie.

Such a refreshing addition to the romance genre

[neenahhh · 7/10 · 5 April 2011]

'Flipped' is truly a "real movie". Probably what most people enjoyed about this movie was that the events that happened in the movie could might as well have been their reality. Many people in this world (if not all) have experienced having a real crush. This movie shows a crush blossoming from both a guy's and a girl's view. It was very interesting to see two viewpoints on this everyday happening. That is what makes this movie so appealing. Viewers get to watch Bryce and Juli's emotions whenever they see the other. Viewers see Bryce and Juli's smiles that they can't help. Viewers get to know who exactly Bryce and Juli are.

Anyone and everyone will enjoy this movie or can at least, relate to it. Even adults! This film will surely take you down memory lane and help you remember the feelings you had when you were first in love. I've never experienced being in love before, but this film makes it seem wonderful. I absolutely loved this film.

Madeline Carroll and Callan McAuliffe were great in this film! Even if they're very young, they did wonderful jobs in performing here. In each of their scenes, you could sense the emotions that they were feeling and wanted to convey to the viewers. The characters themselves were also very interesting. Particularly Ms. Juli Baker. It was nice to see such a free-spirited teenager, who was very opinionated and didn't let anything stand in her way. The chemistry that both actors had were average. I thought that they showed their most potential when acting by themselves, in their own surroundings.

I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that Rob Reiner, the director of this film, was the same person who directed 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'Sleepless in Seattle'. So far, all romantic-comedies that Rob Reiner has directed has not disappointed me. I can't wait for more of his works! All his rom-coms are excellent additions to the romance movie genre.

This was an amazing teenage romantic comedy. Surely one of my favorites, right up there with 'When Harry Met Sally'. Do not miss this film. It's baffling to see that this film isn't as popular as it's supposed to be.

Viewed on: April 5, 2011 ; December 16, 2011

Brought back some memories...

[kabirkunwar · 8/10 · 15 November 2010]

The first few minutes sent me back a decade reminding how much we avoided girls or getting our names attached to one..

I really liked how the story showed a basic fact (mostly at least) :

"The one you love doesn't love you back, and you don't love the one that loves you!"

Though the main story is not that all can relate to, the background or the base of the story was really nice. The character development was good, not like many movies which focus on only the main characters. Though the story was a little predictable, the movie is enjoyable and among a few to which we can relate to.

This movie is definitely worth a watch.

And it deserves an 8 out of 10.

Father of a 13yo girl

[mtkeg-93640 · 10/10 · 17 May 2020]

Our 13yo daughter asked My wife and I to watch Flipped with her. She had seen it already once and told us it was her favorite movie. All I can say is we both absolutely enjoyed it! A movie like this is a classic. Completely blown away with all the actors and actresses! The message of this movie is incredible! Watch this with your kids!!

A simple, classic, heartwarming story

[nutsbout_you · 8/10 · 28 November 2010]

Of all the movies I've seen lately, Flipped was amongst the most refreshing. If it had been done by a different director and had different screenwriters, it might be a terrible cliché. Story of first love, known each other since kids, bla bla bla, we've all heard it before.

But this movie, it was so pure and so realistic, which is what I love about it most. It wasn't over the top romantic, but it was enough to tug my heartstrings and made me go "awwww" instead of going "ewwww".

The characters felt like real people, and the issues faced in the story felt so real and believable, it made me believe in the basic form of love once more, and that it still existed in real life (even though I know it's just in the movies, but still).

Anyway, if you're looking for a story that is refreshing yet vintage, and wanting to have a lovey-dovey grin plastered on your face, then this is the movie to watch.

Heart warming story with great music

[acsomarr · 7/10 · 18 August 2010]

Beautifully told with all the ingredients for a good family movie. The story is told from two different views, the view from the boy and from the girl. A boy who is annoyed by all the attention he gets from the girl across the street. The girl from across the street who has a super crush on the boy tells her part of the story. The boy's father is a man filled with hatred who dispenses politically incorrect lines throughout the movie. The grandfather, the great John Mohoney, is the wise person who tells the boy to really see the girl for what she is, a very special girl. I don't want to give anything away of this jewel of a movie. I enjoyed this movie very much and totally recommend it.

"Flipped" has all of the comedy, naiveté and bewilderment of first love

[napierslogs · 8/10 · 13 December 2010]

Juli just had to take one look at Bryce's blue eyes, and she knew it was true love. Bryce just had to take one notice of Juli's manic desperation, and he knew it was going to be a friendship of torment. I just had to take one look at the film's artfully designed poster, and I knew "Flipped" was a film to be savoured.

A beautifully told film of first love, we flip from Juli's point of view to Bryce's point of view, very effectively giving us the true nature of their friendship, love and respect they have for each other. Except in the case of middle-school graders, that love and respect can frequently look like embarrassment, mistrust, and shame. All of those emotions are told with intelligence, subtlety and humour.

"Flipped" has all of the comedy, naiveté and bewilderment of first love. It takes the romantic comedy farther by actually giving us characters with real depth. There is more going on than just Juli and Bryce figuring out their love for each other, and every aspect of this film is well written, touching and relevant.

"Flipped" is a cute film for everybody who fondly remembers that fiercely independent girl or the guy with piercing blue eyes that lived across the street.

Very beautiful

[hhenshiri · 7/10 · 3 October 2019]

One of the most beautiful movies that I have seen wonderful in every sense of the word

A total gem!

[ivantheeditor · 10/10 · 26 August 2020]

Truly, this is one of those rare gems you stumble upon only once in a blue moon. Give it a try! You won't regret it!

Is he the one?

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 19 March 2014]

With a technique borrowed from Casino of the story being told from two different protagonist points of view, Rob Reiner gives us a wonderful family film about first love. Flipped is a lot less bloody and a great deal sweeter than Martin Scorsese's gangster classic.

The prosperous Loski family moves into the neighborhood where the ne'er do well Bakers live. On that day in the late fifties the kids that grow up to be Callan McAuliffe and Madeline Carroll set eyes on each other. Carroll thinks McAuliffe is the one, but such decisions at the age of 7 are sometimes reconsidered. And McAuliffe can't see her for beans, she's just an annoying girl which is not atypical for the second grade.

Moving into junior high school is a different matter. With the onset of puberty both these kids are experiencing conflicting emotions. McAuliffe acts like a jerk sometimes, Carroll expects a bit much.

The families are different. Anthony Edwards who is McAuliffe's dad is a bit of a fathead and has a thing about his neighbor's lifestyle. Their yard contains a chicken coop and is not in good shape and it's bringing down the values of the other property on the block. As for Aidan Quinn who is Carroll's dad and his family lives as it does in order to support his brother who lives in a sanitarium, an expensive private one for the mentally retarded. Quinn is a wonderful dad, but the Bakers live a whole lot like the Micawbers waiting for something to turn up.

The women are wiser than the men, Rebecca DeMornay and Penelope Ann Miller the wives of Edwards and Quinn respectively bond. McAuliffe also has the wisdom of his maternal grandfather John Mahoney to lean on. He's a surrogate grandfather to Carroll as well.

Rob Reiner came up with a real winner. The kids act like real kids as opposed to Hollywood kids. The grownups are neither all wise Deities or complete idiots. The women young and old do come out better than the men. I think everyone is going to like this one.

Flipped is highly rated for family viewing.

One of Rob Reiner's Best

[leiser18 · 10/10 · 14 September 2010]

"Flipped" is superbly directed by Rob Reiner and in my book, one of his best movies. It's a wonderfully told coming-of-age story, which I could relate to in many ways. The main two characters, Juli and Bryce, are very likable. Their parents, played by Penelope Ann Miller and Aidan Quinn, Rebecca de Mornay and Anthony Edwards, respectively, are believable in their roles, which they play excellently. I liked the fact that the story is told from two points of views, Bryce first and then Juli. If you want to see a really feel-good movie, instead of watching some dumb comedy or shoot 'em up flick, go see FLIPPED! You will not regret it.

Simple is the best!

[forzabravo · 7/10 · 30 April 2021]

The film about teenagers first love without kisses or sex that we usually watched. But its simple story and characters really touched my heart. Wishing their love grew like a tree.

Flipped Flopped

[treeline1 · 31 December 2010]

Juli fell in love with Bryce when his family moved in across the street; they were both in the second grade and for the next six years, much to his chagrin, she chased him. Bryce thought Juli was a bit of an odd duck and he spent all of his time trying to avoid her until one day, in the eighth grade, he stopped running.

I love Rob Reiner's classic coming-of-age film, "Stand By Me," so I expected this movie to be similarly engaging, if not memorable. Unfortunately, it suffers from a weak and boring script, dull and stereotypical characters, and such slow pacing that I thought it would never end. Like "Stand," this story is set in the fifties, but there's nothing endearing or nostalgic about it; the era is poorly recreated and felt too contemporary. Each scene is seen and narrated from both Juli and Bryce's viewpoint and this gimmick gets old fast. I didn't believe these children would dissect every single thing the other did and said; it quickly became predictable and tedious and they sounded like obsessed 40-year olds.

All of the actors were competent but their characters were either dull or underdeveloped. They didn't do or say anything interesting, let alone cute or charming. This was a humorless and pointless snooze fest for me.

Sorry, I didn't connect

[Trentflix · 5/10 · 25 April 2011]

I saw the good reviews and was excited for a family film I could enjoy without worrying about content. I can see how this would appeal to a person if they found the main characters endearing. I didn't. The girl is a flighty daisy-minded girl who will likely grow up and make beaded jewelery for a living and the typical boy will grow up to be the typical insignificant person he is working a dead-end blue collar job. There are apparent anachronisms, scenes of spectacularly unspectacular acting and the "flipped" visual effect that you find in bad power point presentations never gets old. Looking for the positive points though, I'll never have to watch it again.

How did I miss this wonderful movie for 11 years?

[Gpanther67 · 8/10 · 24 June 2021]

I just discovered this gem on Netflix and was impressed, moved and entertained. Its a romantic film about puppy love, so it may not be for everyone (even teens) but I found the leads to be charming and charismatic. The plot device is nothing new, but the charm and early 60's setting make it fresh in many ways. A wonderful cast led by the young leads (now grown!), the late John Mahoney and Aidan Quinn help make this film watchable and enjoyable. A wholesome movie with wonderful moments.

Winning, beautifully moving and well-acted coming-of-age story

[brettster · 10/10 · 14 August 2010]

Back in 1973, an episode of "All in the Family" told the same story from three different perspectives, one of which was from the point of view of Mike "Meathead" Stivic, played by Rob Reiner. Watching his latest directorial effort, I wondered if the "he said / she said" gimmick of that episode ("Everybody Tells the Truth") was what attracted Reiner to "Flipped," the young-adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen, which employs the same multi-POV technique that Lawrence Durrell perfected with his "Alexandria Quartet" in the late 1950s. The film version of "Flipped" shows Reiner at the top of his form, a worthy addition to an ouevre that includes such classics as "This Is Spinal Tap," "Misery," "When Harry Met Sally" and "Stand By Me," the 1986 period piece that "Flipped" most recalls, with its younger characters and coming-of-age theme. At the heart of "Flipped" is Juli Baker (Madeline Carroll), a smart, pretty and thoughtful girl who you just can't help losing your heart to. Juli herself flips for Bryce Loski, who is at first repelled by Juli and then slowly starts to see her for the lovely person she is. The cast is augmented by such pros as John Mahoney (Frasier's dad on "Cheers"), Anthony Edwards, Aidan Quinn and Rebecca De Mornay and Penelope Ann Miller. The film offers up various slices of life from the late '50s and early '60s that makes for a nostalgic, romantic and very moving film. Special kudos to the filmmakers for finding a girl to play young Juli (Morgan Lily) who looks chillingly like Madeline Carroll; I would have bet anything the two were sisters. For those who are bored by the dumb-dumb summer comedies of 2010 ("The Other Guys," "Dinner for Schmucks") and the special-effects hijinks of "Inception," this is a tender and emotionally satisfying journey that will stay with you for years.

Saplings

[tedg · 8 November 2010]

Rob Reiner still has it. This sort of movie is an incredible risk because there are so many ways that it can fail.

If you have not seen it, it is a simple Junior High romance taken very seriously. Some rather deep family issues apply; frailty and cowardice in the face of small challenges turned larger. Things could have slipped at many points. There is a wise grandfather who could have become the font of wisdom that makes all well. He is set up to do this, but then he falls away to other dynamics.

There are a number of crises, large ones to a child, involving issues that threaten adults. In a similar film, there would be just one of these and it would the occasion for a redemptive but false ending. There are secondary adults that are artificially comic, but they come and go so fast the silly tone they carry does not stick. This thing really does make you cry.

The main reason I think is that there is a special narrative device. Every scene is told first through the boy's eyes, narrated directly by him, then replayed. It uses the very same takes I think, but using different camera angles and extended differently.

It is set in 1963, which means that the speakers will have been married for decades and are recounting the early stages of their romance. This subtle device is profoundly effective. All the retrospective insights are not those of children, but adults with thankful wisdom. Yet another technique of narrative folding. You don't quite know if the romance will work out, but you do know it will end well.

The girl is another flatfaced, appealing talent. These actresses don't seem to do well as adults. We'll see.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

Wow

[ks-60500 · 7/10 · 25 April 2021]

Thanks netfilx bring this movie home and I watched in 2021, 11 years after the movie being shown. I'm not a person into romance story especially teen one. It's native and not sophisticated and just lame. But this movie changed my view and probably the most charming teen romance I ever watched. It just reminds me that who hasn't been through that time in life? Things back then just so pure and non-sexual. Story was just interesting.

Flipped - A Heartland Truly Moving Picture

[kpellerin · 10/10 · 9 August 2010]

This is a coming of age film set initially and briefly in the late 1950s and mostly in the early 1960s. The boy, Bryce, is chased by his neighbor girl, Juli. And is he chased! Juli is immediately smitten or "flipped" by Bryce's eyes and the story unfolds.

What is unusual about the story telling is that each major event is played back twice - once through the eyes and voice of Bryce and once through the eyes and voice of Juli. It's the same scene, but you wouldn't know that from their differing viewpoints.

Juli is the adventurous and interesting one. Bryce just wants to fit in at their Junior High School. Juli slowly begins to unlike Bryce and Bryce slowly begins to appreciate Juli. Will they ever meet at the same emotional place at the same time? That is the drama and story.

The art direction and era are right on. It is the Eisenhower and Kennedy years in look, and even in feel. The wives are subordinate to the husbands. The children are mostly respectful to their parents. And the teachers teach and the students learn. But, you can see the seeds being laid for the rebellious war babies of the late 1960s.

Rob Reiner is a talented director for romances - "When Harry Met Sally." And he is a talented director for handling young actors - "Stand By Me." He combines these talents to help us understand the better part of the human condition; that is, love, respect, sacrifice, forgiveness, and honor. And we have fun and laugh along the way. This is like the TV program, "Wonder Years" - but heightened and deepened.

-Bob, a Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award Jury Member

A good movie about pure love

[q-89585 · 7/10 · 3 April 2023]

Adolescent love is so simple and straightforward, which touched me very much.

Julie expresses her love for bryce so sincerely, and what she want is just to see him and talk to him. Unfortunately, if Bryce could have loved her from the beginning, there wouldn't have been this movie.

When she loves, he doesn't love, when she wants to give up, he loves again.

I only gave 7 out of 10 because the end I hoped for was that Julie didn't forgive him and chose to be beautiful alone.

In addition, I don't think Bryce's father's line has a good and complete discussion. He slapped it out, and then what? What's his ending? Has he change?

A Cinematic Gem Like No Other

[writingmermaid · 9/10 · 31 August 2010]

Flipped is a one in a million film - I mean, REALLY one in a million. It's refreshing and lovely, dramatic and hilarious. It does what few films do in our time (or rather what they don't do): Flipped does not sacrifice its integrity for raunchy, gratuitous content. It's real. The emotions are real. The characters are real. And while it certainly isn't G-rated fluff (and do not be fooled - this is not a film for young children), the movie is definitely gentle and innocent in many ways. On the downside, without giving anything away, the ending of the film could have been better patched together, but overall the movie is a cinematic gem like no other. Go see Flipped!

a serene take on love, relations, and life. Not one to miss at any cost .

[sanamsingh93 · 7/10 · 14 May 2012]

I was just surprised by this movie. It will engross you, make you feel excited, and leave you smiling and wanting more.

The direction is beautiful. It brings a new style of narration, where the same story is told both by the male and the female leads, leaving us a contrast that is sure to be enjoyed.

As for acting, the cast couldn't be more perfect. The child actors strive to impress. Me, being a John Mahoney fan, loved the movie all the more. Every scene, he's in, he'll help you stick a smile through out.

Overall, its a must watch. My words! :)

Chickens, Tree Sap, and First Kisses

[blackfirepro · 8/10 · 26 July 2010]

Okay, let's dispense immediately with the idea that this film is geared toward teenagers and all of their sap that they go through. I assure you "mature adults" out there that this film will delight you also, unless you are a completely hopelessly lost Scrooge. This film should make sense to all ages. Everyone should identify with it. I don't care what kind of a snob, low-life, big wig, or puritan you are, you should enjoy this film. It's never too sappy when it deals with matters of the heart, nor is it too blunt and insensitive.

The film is told almost entirely in a voice over of one of the two main characters. It's told in a brilliant he-said she-said style where the same scene is often told twice from the two opposite points of view (Juli's and Bryce's). So we see the opening scene twice. The first time as explained by Bryce, and the second time explained by Juli. This sort of formula is used many a time in the unfolding battle of the sexes. Of course this doesn't happen in every scene—that would get boring. Director Reiner gives us the proper dosage of everything in this film. The proper amount of comedy, romance, and the proper amount of sadness. Never is it sappy or indulgent or even presumptuous. It's a perfect film for what it's worth. The screenplay is absolutely the work of a fine craftsman—or craftsmen Andrew Scheinman and director Reiner. I don't know how long it took to write or how much blood went into it, but this film is the result of excellent work in every department. The two child stars are perfect in their roles (although Bryce could have done better), but the strength of the cast are in supporting actors. The cast is full of great actors, particularly Anthony Edwards as Bryce's arrogant, critical, smart-Aleck father, and the ever-welcome Aidan Quinn as Juli's loving, down-to-earth, tree painting father.

I wasn't completely convinced of the excellence of the film until a beautiful scene in which Mr. Baker (Quinn) and Juli go to visit Mr. Baker's mentally retarded brother Daniel, who is so happy with the world and everything in it. But this scene can't be expressed in words, you have to see it. For what it's worth, Flipped is somewhat of a deep film, full of parallels to the real world. All of the characters have the proper amount of development, even the big sycamore tree that Juli likes to sit in and watch the sunrise. Her exploits while up in that tree are so poetic and beautiful when matched up with the pictures on screen. It's a beautiful and insightful scene into the thoughts and feelings of people in general, not just a teenage girl.

In this day when films are almost all big-budget action movies with loud explosions, Flipped has explosions of its own kind. It has explosions of heart and feeling and character, all at the appropriate times. I did not find any ax to grind here. Other than the characters, plot, and screenplay, it's also a technically beautiful film. The camera captures everything so clearly with the proper color timing and excellently framed shots. After the mid-way point of the film, being surrounded by excellence, one starts to look for any reason to criticize the film. I found none. Every nuance of the film is done so genteelly and honestly, who can have a problem with it? This film achieves what movies are meant to achieve. They are meant to reach into are minds and draw us in, to entertain and to move us with fright, emotion, tears, laughs, whatever may be the subject. They are meant to create a world around us, whether in space, in the Wild West, in the future, in Bible times, or in the case of Flipped in 1960s suburbia. This film does exactly what it is meant to do. To touch and make us laugh and to remember. That's what it does. It makes us remember what happened or is happening to us. No one can give this a bad review. I don't see how anyone can pick a fight with the film. But I'm blabbing about nothing.

In short, Flipped is by far the best film I've seen this year. I do hope the Academy doesn't overlook this like they do so many other "family" films. It should at least get a few nominations, if not a win. We'll see what happens. It's only July.

www.colewebbharter.com

Best romance movie I've probably EVER watched.

[jedrekmalnegro · 7/10 · 7 March 2024]

First off, there are, surprisingly, a ton of great quotes in this film.

Secondly, I like just how characterized yet real each character is. Even the side characters: Bryce's dad is genuinely just a jerk because of some mysterious past that doesn't get explained or developed; it feels incomplete, but that's what makes it so real. Not everyone goes through a character arc. Bryce's friend is a bully, but you don't realize it until Bryce himself realizes it as well.

Thirdly, the pacing makes it so easy and light to watch. I just finished watching it, and I feel like I could watch it again immediately. The back and forth between their perspectives is done so well and intricately that it feels like something you've never seen before when it obviously isn't revolutionary, just perfectly executed. The narration between the two and their different reactions, thoughts, and emotions were delivered so naturally and enjoyably.

And lastly, I haven't even begun to talk about the actual main plot line, Bryce and Juli. Such a pure love story and a breath of fresh air from all the other formulaic, boring, cheesy, and unthought-provoking romances besides it.

There is so much genuine thought and care put into this film that love just comes out of the screen. It is undoubtedly one of the best feel-good movies there are.

It may not be the greatest film, but it's certainly one of the favorite movies I've watched and will continue to rewatch for a very long time.

I couldn't wait for it to end.

[wow88 · 4/10 · 29 August 2011]

Just because a film has a cute ending does not make it a good film. The writing acting and especially the directing were not just bad they were terrible..I didn't find any reason to think that the two leads would be a good couple...the dialog was boring and not even slightly reflective of the era it was uselessly based in...there was not one funny moment in it...it was not a comedy or a drama...it had no great family moments...the whole retarded brother sub plot was totally useless and difficult to watch (his acting was brutal)...but not as bad as Mr. Loski...the grandfather who neglected his grandson and swooned over the neighbours daughter was disturbing...Bryce's best friend would never have been Bryce's best friend...Juli's inability to forgive was out of character...the saxophone subplot disappeared and I'm as bored of this review as I was of the film. 4 was generous now I reflect.

I watched Election the night before and to think this film is rated higher than a masterpiece of true comedy like that has made me loose respect for this website and it's members.