davidh777

Count me as another misled by the trailer, but got a better idea (and the spoiler) from online reviews. Thought it was very well done and will see it again.

riley_dude

Just saw this on DVD last night. Sure it was mis marketed but this sure was a good story about friendship and life and....death.
Great performances by all.
A must see.

fujishig

Just saw this on dvd as well. I had actually read the book as a kid, but didn't remember that until well into the movie, mainly because the trailers and dvd cover, etc. were so misleading as to what the movie was about. So halfway through the movie, I knew what was going to happen but it was still heartwrenching.

I had no problem with the rather anachronistic classroom and students. The book was written in 1985, and I like the kind of classic classroom setting there. It could also be looked at as taking place in the past, or just way way out in the country. I think I would have been more upset if they tried to make it more modern-day and put it in some gangster-infested middle school or something.

I was a little surprised by the soundtrack in the credits. I know Disney markets their stars as singers, but the songs were mainly by Deschanel, Annasophia (who also has a music video), Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) and Hayden Panatierre (cheerleader from Heroes). I was just reading an article about how Disney's Hollywood Records was doing really well, too.

Fincher Fan

I didn't like it but that was probably because I was looking forward to the pure fantasy film that was advertised.

taa455

I have to agree with most of what Drop said. I will add that even Jesse's parents were cringe-worthy and almost laughable just because their characters were so clichéd. The mother didn't have a lot of screen time, but the dad (Robert Patrick) was the worst. Why in so many children's books is the father a jerk who never gives any attention to his son? I understand he was the personification of Teribithia's dark lord and all that, but the film made him out to be too much of a jerk while still trying do a 180 and give him a couple of tender moments at the end. It just didn't ring true with me. HOWEVER, (and this is saying a LOT) I still enjoyed the movie despite all its flaws. Hutcherson and Robb's acting was amazing. I loved their scenes.

Drop

My problem was not with the classroom or school setting, it was how unbelievable the children were. In no school anywhere do children co-operate and sing that well. These kids were absolutely perfect, which is absurd considering how much bad blood is between a lot of them and how nasty they could be other times in class. Children from the 80s where not much, if any, different from children today. Children are pretty much the same anywhere in the world, at any time, especially moody middle schoolers.

Alvis

My wife is a teacher and I have been one and we both agreed that the teacher taking the student out would never happen today. However, things may not have been quite so strict when this book was written (mid 1980s). Also, doing any of the things you suggested would have changed the story too much. Jess being gone with his teacher is a major plot point the story hinges upon, since Also, this is the way it was written in the book.

toddly6666

This movie really sucked, and seemed forced and preachy. I remember the book being good, but I don't think this was a good adaptation of the book. The acting was too wierd. The little sister was a creepy dwarf acting too old for her age (give her the Dakota Fanning Award) and the main girl was good, but she was going for the Keira Knightly Award. And any movie that talks about Jesus Christ and the bible, even if it includes an agnostic teen girl talking about it in an intellectual smart way, still makes the movie look like a Christian propaganda movie. (I had the same feeling when watching Freedom Writers when the movie all of a sudden became a Remember-the Holocaust film and teach South Central kids about the Holocaust and then everyone will stop crime then. And i'm jewish, but that too was a Jewish propagandish-film, even if it's based on a true story.)

Narnia was a good book and a good movie, and seemed like less Christian-propaganda than this movie.

Rent The Last Mimzy instead, a 100 times better "smart family film",

fujishig

Aren't the Christian themes in the book itself? How can you criticize the movie for being a poor adaptation of the book and then criticize it when it follows the storyline of the book?

Cardsfan111

Can't add too much to the various reviews in this thread. I saw the movie in the theater and felt it was worth my time....it's not something that I'm looking to own on DVD or watch again anytime in the near future.

toddly6666

Fujishig, I already explained - The films Narnia and Bridge both have Christian themes. In the Narnia movie, it didn't seem forced and preachy. In the Bridge movie, it seemed forced and preachy.

Canis Firebrand

I too saw this over the weekend. I have to say that I quite enjoyed the movie and will probably add the book to my reading list.

eedoon

Saw it earlier this week. Oh I am so glad I've never saw the trailer. Everyone else seems to be misled by the trailer. I enjoyed the movie thoroughly.

fujishig

I'm just saying, isn't it like that in the book as well? I don't understand, just because they went to church in the movie, that makes it preachy? Or are there other underlying Christian themes (the author, I believe, is a Christian writer like CS Lewis) that you have a problem with? Nothing really stood out to me. The family goes to church, but doesn't function any better as a result... the father is no less flawed because of it.

It didn't seem like they were promoting Christianity, and in fact I think if anything Catholics would be slightly offended by Leslie's take on religion on the ride back.

jessecrx

Preachy? Gimme a break. Both movies are touch on the subject regarding the value of life. I saw Freedom Writers and it didn't strike me as propoganda. As cliche and predictable as it was the movie looked at the subject matter in simpler light... people killing people. Not Jewish propaganda.

Did you even watch the bonus material on the BTT dvd? It teaches alot.

Forced and preachy.....next time you feel that way just hit the stop button and eject the movie.

toddly6666

JESSE,
...well with Freedom Writers, I just thought it was bad timing to release a movie like that now. As an anti-Israel jew, I believe that many jews cling to their identity of being victims, and whenever they are told that they are doing something wrong or non-ethical (as in Israel), they bring up the "Never Forget, We are Victims," speech, and I'm tired of it, and I think these kind of jews create more anti-semitism in the world...Freedom Writers was an entertaining typical Hollywood film, but the acting/story development just didn't flow realistically once she told them about Anne Frank and the nazis. "What's the Holocause? Oh, wow, those nazis sure were bad, hmmm...okay, let's all stop our gang warefare now that we've heard the story of the Holocause." That's how it felt - forced and unrealistic. Sure, it's could be a true story, but it wasn't adapted in a believable way, especially when this South Central gang school movie became a Remember-The-Holocaust movie for two-thirds of the flick....I watched some of the extras, and it's obvious that they are marketing the movie as a teaching tool. There's no need for the movie, if they get the kids to read and understand the book.

FUJI,
well it was more than the Christian themes that made the movie seem forced, the whole Tabithia movie felt forced, when they all of a sudden start playing make-believe in the forest. It almost seemed like they were uncomfortable or embarrassed playing make-believe...forced....I love children's movies or Disney live-action films, but Tabithia just didn't do it for me. And once again, you can't just match the book exactly, it has to be adapted in a way for it to achieve the same magic as reading the book, as it was successfully done with the Lord of the Rings books.

eedoon

But how's the Christian theme in the movie is being forced?

Ejunior2

Horrible, horrible ending.

I hate misleading trailing like the one they did for this moving. You take your kids to see what looks like a fun adventure movie like Narnia and you get this sad ending POC.

Sorry I wasted my time and $$$ on it.

fujishig

Jesse was uncomfortable playing make believe... it seems like his creativity was largely ridiculed by his father, who thought that such things were childish and just a distraction when there was real work to be done in the real world. In that sense, he was "forced" by Leslie to open up his imagination. I think both child actors did a good job in portraying their roles.

Now I understand why you said it was a poor adaptation, though.

I'm curious about Ejunior2's hate for the movie... was it just because you were expecting something else, or that you just didn't like the ending?

Mordred

Ejunior2 is just pissed that the movie made him cry and the other boys made fun of him on the ride home from the theater.

jessecrx

Well Todd, sorry to drop the news to you man but I didn't see FW as a pitty party for Jews. When I see anything Holocaust related I don't see it as the Jews crying out "NEVARR FORGET WE ARE VICTIMS" I see it as mankinds worst evils come true. I am sorry if some Jewish people cling to that as an image to the world but I and many other people just don't see it that way. I am Mexican American and I can't stand it when people of my national heritage cling to stereotypes as if it were to somehow benefit them. So I totally understand where you are coming from on that point.

I dunno, maybe it's just not cool these days to ....oh i dunno..pray for peace? Hell, many people look at concepts like prayer, peace, hope, truth, selflessness, love, forgiveness, honor, respect(i can go on and on btw) as being "forced ideas" or "preachy subjects" because they know they don't have those qualities in their lives.

Crying. One of the most natural ways the human spirit expresses itself is now viewed as "stupid" or "weak" in many peoples eyes. I see it all the time in movie theaters. "Why is he/she crying like a whiny bitch?" says someone in the crowd. Ummm.. BECAUSE HE/SHE JUST LOST SOMEONE HE LOVES, MAYBE???

Forced and unrealistic. Ok Todd. You've obviously lived the life of a hopeless gangmember(I am being sarcastic btw ). Tell me, how would you have made it more realistic?

I know we are getting a little off topic but I think the whole idea is that both movies embody stories that are centered around love, happiness and the value of human life.

It feels unrealistic to some people because of the simple truth in it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to look at something in a different light(ex Holocaust, War, Drugs, Abuse, Lying, Cheating, Hatred) and see that your beliefs are wrong. Your outlook on life is wrong. The value you place on human life is wrong. The things you live for are wrong. These students were humbled because they saw traces of their own lives in what they were being taught. In the end the movie was about choice. They chose to lead a better life because someone simply showed them where they were headed.

Ever read an apologetic email? Alot of emotion can be lost in something written when you compare it to the person actually looking you in the eye and apologizing from the heart. This is one of those areas where I think movies can sometimes be better than books because you see the emotion.

He felt forced because he didn't want to open up his imagination. Look at the father and you see traces of his father in him. She on the other hand did have an open imagination. She had a sense of freedom. A life giving glow to her personality and I could see that he longed for it. He saw in her what he wanted(loving parents, confidence to express the heart, to love life itself). You could see how her freedom and love for life were rubbing off on him.

I know kids in real life who look at things like playing make-believe, or singing songs together, dancing, expressing love as being...you guessed it..stupid, embarrassing and uncomfortable. Why?? Because these things were not part of their lives growing up.

He was fortunate enough to open his heart and his imagination and share it with his little sister instead of bottling it up and letting it die.

toddly6666

Jesse,
you certainly liked Tabithia and Freedom Writers!
I liked Freedom Writers at least. It was a black comedy for me, especially when they start talking about the "Holocause". The real teacher was better looking than Hillary. And I thought it was hypocritical that the teacher left after a year to teach at a university in real life, which makes the Vera Drake principal right the whole time. She's made to be a villain in the movie, but she's the one that stays. I thought the whole point was for the Hillary Swank teacher to stay and teach at the high school, but she ends up leaving after a year, which seems hypocritical. And then they showed the class photo at the end of the movie, and all these "gangsters" looked like nice, friendly harmless pussycats. The actors definitely looked more tough.

For both movies to be non-forced and realistic, the movies would have to be created by better directors not produced by MTV (Freedom Writers) and Disney (Tabithia).

jessecrx

I suppose you have never mispronounced a word in your life? Give it a rest man



Never seen the real teacher, but I agree that Hillary isn't all that stunning to look at.

So you think that gang members, prostitutes, thieves, liars, cheats etc can't change both inside and out? As for them not looking more tough, you don't have to look tough or talk ebonics to do wrong.

Do you think every abused child should grow up with the same beliefs as their abusive parents?(we're poor, get your head out of the clouds) Or do you think it's possible for them to embrace their imaginations and believe in themselves?

I thought FW had a good message. Could it have been made better? Yes, but so can every movie IMO. But I didn't ask you who would have directed it better. I asked how would you have made it more realistic? Was it the polished look of the film?


Tarabithia was a bullseye IMO because of the play scenes and the relationships between the characters. It had a "Miyazaki-esque" feel to it IMO.

FYI, BTT was produced by Walden Media. Disney released it.

Falc04

Just saw this movie last night, and had mixed feelings while watching it. Like Ficher Fan, I was expecting this to be another Narnia-type film, thanks to Disney's terrible marketing upon it's initial release. Seeing as I've never read the book (my 12 year had, but I asked him not to devulge anything), I didn't know what to make of the kid's Tarithia. But then the last 1/3 of the film comes around, and it's like someone throwing cold water in the face. Upon reflection after it was over, a lot of the film now falls into place, and I consider it to be very well done. Next time I watch it, I'll have a different mind-set of what's going on, right from the very start, and I'm sure will enjoy it even more.

kvrdave

I must have missed them in BTT. I didn't like the movie, but was expecting something else. But I didn't see any Christian themes in it. Admitedly, I wasn't looking, but it seemed more like the "Do good things and go to heaven" type theme to me.

Can you give some examples?