FINDING FORRESTER
Released: December 19, 2000
Another of those kind of feel good movies that started with Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society" way back when. Williams perfected the role numerous times in "Good Morning Vietnam", "Patch Adams" and "Good Will Hunting" from director Gus Van Sant. Well, Van Sant returns to this familiar ground with a story that is both familiar and predictable. Sean Connery does a good job as a reclusive writer, newcomer Robert Brown plays the guy who discovers all about life from Connery's character and stereotypical background ranging from a bitter professor (F. Murray Abraham), snobby schoolmate and rich girl/potential love interest (played by Anna Paquin) round out this otherwise safe and Hollywood-style thoughtfulness excercise. Matt Damon steps in for a cameo as a favor for Van Sant to bring home the emotional ending so as not to allow moviegoers to miss the very important moral of this drama. Or something like that anyways.
136 Minutes
Columbia/Sony