A few minutes into Finding Forrester, a young writer opens a book he's been writing only to find someone has read it and has even made some suggestions. At one point, he comes across a message that reads, `Where are you taking me?' I love when I'm watching a movie or reading a book and that particular question comes up. It rarely happens these days. Usually, I'm saying, `I know where you're taking me. Now, let's hurry up and get there.' Finding Forrester takes both phrases and combines them into one sentiment: `I know where you're taking me, but I'm with you anyway, because I like the moment.'
Gus Van Sant's latest drama concerns a young writer, Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), who lives in the Bronx hood. The film opens almost like a ghost story would, where four friends dare one another to go and visit the neighborhood creepy-old-man's house. Jamal, curious as all great writers must be, takes the dare, walks into the old man's apartment, has quite a scare and accidentally leaves his backpack behind.
He returns the following day to retrieve it. Through the little peakhole in the door, the old man (Sean Connery) orders him to never return again. Jamal goes home to find the old man has read his words. Intrigued, Jamal returns to get more feedback from this ragged old hermit. The old man, named William Forrester, suggests he write a 5,000 word essay on why he should stay the hell away from the apartment. Not one to turn down a challenge, Jamal returns the next day with the essay, and there begins an unlikely friendship between the two faster than you can say Scent Of A Woman.
Jamal also deals with problems at school. His teachers and faculty see him as an enigma. He tests well, but his grades have been low. He plays basketball with the grace and wisdom of Michael Jordan, and he writes like Hemingway, but he also has limited income and little opportunity. An upscale Academy wants him to join their school, all expenses paid. There, he befriends a young girl, Claire (Anna Paquin), and catches the skeptical eye of Professor Crawford (F. Murray Abraham).
Meanwhile, Jamal receives writing lessons of life from Forrester, who has only written one book, but it has been studied in high school and colleges for the past 50 years. In turn for the writing lessons, Jamal teaches Forrester to step out of the apartment once in a while for some fresh air. Forrester insists early on, `What we write in this house, stays in this house.' At this point, you know where the film will take you.
The magic of Finding Forrester comes from the chemistry of the two leads. Films such as this usually do sink or swim on chemistry, and here it basically takes center stage with its otherwise thin storyline. Forrester, in his best role since The Rock (of which it may seem eerily similar), does not upstage newcomer Rob Brown. The two give each other equal time on the playing field, each one winning their share of arguments and one-two punches. They argue the use of `and' and `but' in literature. They compete against each other while watching Jeopardy. Eventually, of course, a bond breaks, and Jamal `is sick of all these lessons,' and he leaves.
We wait for one scene throughout Finding Forrester where Professor Crawford and Forrester meet in a classroom. We know from the get-go that it will happen, and we feel certain that it will be near the end, much like Al Pacino's showboating in the aforementioned Scent Of A Woman. Unfortunately, Van Sant cuts the scene short by doing a montage of Forrester reading Jamal's words and the students looking inspired. I would rather have actually heard the words, so as to know why the kids felt inspired and why Jamal received so much attention for writing those words in the first place. Like this years Wonder Boys, Forrester would rather you concentrate on the writers rather than their prose.
The end also feels a bit tacked-on (I won't give it away), and Van Sant's use of the True Romance-sound-alike score sounds as though the audio recorders forgot to remove the temp track. Still, while Finding Forrester does take us on a familiar journey, it does not sell its audience short. The movie has sharp dialogue, smart characters and a desire to teach a few things about words and language.
But like all writers, great or otherwise, it could still use a few lessons.
Gus Van Sant's latest drama concerns a young writer, Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), who lives in the Bronx hood. The film opens almost like a ghost story would, where four friends dare one another to go and visit the neighborhood creepy-old-man's house. Jamal, curious as all great writers must be, takes the dare, walks into the old man's apartment, has quite a scare and accidentally leaves his backpack behind.
He returns the following day to retrieve it. Through the little peakhole in the door, the old man (Sean Connery) orders him to never return again. Jamal goes home to find the old man has read his words. Intrigued, Jamal returns to get more feedback from this ragged old hermit. The old man, named William Forrester, suggests he write a 5,000 word essay on why he should stay the hell away from the apartment. Not one to turn down a challenge, Jamal returns the next day with the essay, and there begins an unlikely friendship between the two faster than you can say Scent Of A Woman.
Jamal also deals with problems at school. His teachers and faculty see him as an enigma. He tests well, but his grades have been low. He plays basketball with the grace and wisdom of Michael Jordan, and he writes like Hemingway, but he also has limited income and little opportunity. An upscale Academy wants him to join their school, all expenses paid. There, he befriends a young girl, Claire (Anna Paquin), and catches the skeptical eye of Professor Crawford (F. Murray Abraham).
Meanwhile, Jamal receives writing lessons of life from Forrester, who has only written one book, but it has been studied in high school and colleges for the past 50 years. In turn for the writing lessons, Jamal teaches Forrester to step out of the apartment once in a while for some fresh air. Forrester insists early on, `What we write in this house, stays in this house.' At this point, you know where the film will take you.
The magic of Finding Forrester comes from the chemistry of the two leads. Films such as this usually do sink or swim on chemistry, and here it basically takes center stage with its otherwise thin storyline. Forrester, in his best role since The Rock (of which it may seem eerily similar), does not upstage newcomer Rob Brown. The two give each other equal time on the playing field, each one winning their share of arguments and one-two punches. They argue the use of `and' and `but' in literature. They compete against each other while watching Jeopardy. Eventually, of course, a bond breaks, and Jamal `is sick of all these lessons,' and he leaves.
We wait for one scene throughout Finding Forrester where Professor Crawford and Forrester meet in a classroom. We know from the get-go that it will happen, and we feel certain that it will be near the end, much like Al Pacino's showboating in the aforementioned Scent Of A Woman. Unfortunately, Van Sant cuts the scene short by doing a montage of Forrester reading Jamal's words and the students looking inspired. I would rather have actually heard the words, so as to know why the kids felt inspired and why Jamal received so much attention for writing those words in the first place. Like this years Wonder Boys, Forrester would rather you concentrate on the writers rather than their prose.
The end also feels a bit tacked-on (I won't give it away), and Van Sant's use of the True Romance-sound-alike score sounds as though the audio recorders forgot to remove the temp track. Still, while Finding Forrester does take us on a familiar journey, it does not sell its audience short. The movie has sharp dialogue, smart characters and a desire to teach a few things about words and language.
But like all writers, great or otherwise, it could still use a few lessons.
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