Finding Forrester

Name: Finding Forrester
Genre: Drama
Released: December 20, 2000
Duration: 136 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Rob Brown, Sean Connery

2000

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 101 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 101 Ratings

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Finding Forrester

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: December 20, 2000 | PG-13

Starring: Rob Brown, Sean Connery

Summary: An uplifting story about the unusual dynamic between an isolated author (Connery) and the confident teenager (Brown) who changes his life. (Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Director: Gus Van Sant

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 136 min

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Critic Reviews

Kim Morgan

Finding Forrester achieves a distinct success few Hollywood movies can even dream of: It overwhelms and inspires with understatement.

Emanuel Levy

Provides a platform for Sean Connery to deliver a definitive, career-summation performance. Read full review

Roger Ebert

The scenes between the old man and the teenager are at the heart of the movie, and it's a pleasure to watch the rapport between Connery, in his 50th year of acting, and Brown, in his first role. Read full review

Mark Caro

It's rare to see a movie that takes such joy in the power of words, not to create lofty works of art but to effect the simple, necessary translation of what's in one's heart and mind.

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Highly unoriginal but nevertheless stirring drama. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

At times you can feel Van Sant trying to loosen the movie's windpipe-folding collar, but he doesn't get far, except with Busta Rhymes, as Jamal's gone-nowhere big brother. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Not even D.W. Griffith, Steven Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick working together could succeed in making this pandering piece of nonsense work dramatically on any level except the most egregiously phony. Read full review

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User Reviews

charlee1985

Apr 21, 2011

This is an amazing film! and coming from me its a big thing. I'm not a big fan of Dramas but this film was really touching! Everyone should watch it and it deserves a big 10

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CaroleE.

Apr 4, 2007

I've seen a zillion movies. This is one of my all time favorites. If 2 of your biggest interests are literature and education, and you're a nice person, you should love this movie. An extremely well-done production.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Volrath316

Jun 23, 2020

Entertaining. Enlightening! A must watch. On my top 5 favourite's list excellent movie, we need more like this.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SteveS.

Jun 1, 2006

Very pleseant light weight movie. Solid acting butthe plot lacked real grit.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

Joe_Sanderson

May 17, 2021

I consider this to be a light feel good film which I very much enjoy. Some portions lack detail, and it would have been nice if more scenes were included to strengthen the movie as a whole. Overall a pretty good film!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Oct 16, 2019

Books and writers and scholarships. A paper read should be the big finale and you are going to get exactly what you expect.

Finding Forrester Gus Van Sant, the director, is my go to guy. I can understand why it won't be for everyone. For he deals with the drama that comes with or from aBooks and writers and scholarships. A paper read should be the big finale and you are going to get exactly what you expect.

Finding Forrester

Gus Van Sant, the director, is my go to guy. I can understand why it won't be for everyone. For he deals with the drama that comes with or from a privileged position. That is not to say, of course, that his emotions juggled across the film is less important. But he certainly is aware of the selective audience that he might be able to draw a nod out from. Now, that is not only not an excuse but also not a recommended way to move forward. So how do you make people care about something in a larger margin? Like some controversial issue that is taking over the nation? World?

Sports, is his way in. And it should be it. There is always a quality of earning your spot or moving forward or winning an element in his films. This is what makes you earn that act of the film. This is how he makes you care for these characters. And Finding Forrester fits right in on this strategy of his. And you can see that in the very first act itself. The common and often accused issues is eliminated by Sean Connery with a commanding voice. This gets thrown out of the window.

The obvious part of the deal. So now we can roll up our sleeves and get right to the heart of the matter. A mature productive debate to solve a higher themed issue. This once again would thin out the heard that would sing along to this rhythm. But with a character driven emotionally resonant approach, Gus Van Sant whips you hard with long lasting tears. Almost, as if you are told to tear down. Not something that is rubbed on your face but gets an attention through an underrated performance. Connery and Abraham shares only one moment in the film. And that is enough.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Spangle

Aug 23, 2014

Eh, this one is alright. It is largely mediocre and there is nothing outright horrible about it, but ultimately this one just feels like Good Will Hunting meets Scent of a Woman meets the inner city. It is a blend of topics that have been done better by other films and while the acting fromEh, this one is alright. It is largely mediocre and there is nothing outright horrible about it, but ultimately this one just feels like Good Will Hunting meets Scent of a Woman meets the inner city. It is a blend of topics that have been done better by other films and while the acting from Sean Connery, Rob Brown, and Anna Paquin, is very good, their performances are not enough to lift this one out of being nothing more than your average, every day movie. There is nothing truly extraordinary about the story or the relationship forged by Connery and Brown, though their chemistry is good. In addition, it just feels like a movie I have seen many times before, which is too bad. The only element that bothered me here is F. Murray Abraham's character. His acting is fine, but his role as a teacher is so comically over the top in terms of being out to get his students and being pure evil that it just kills any authenticity this one has and is annoying to watch. Overall, Finding Forrester is a solid film that really does nothing that well and has no true glaring mistakes and winds up being nothing more than mediocre.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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89	#89 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
69	#69 Most Shared Movie of 2000