Classic coming of age movie
357395
Surprising that this movie is still relevant re: the search for meaning for a young man.  Simon and Garfunkle never get old.
966439
This was a great movie to an impressionable young girl interested in becoming a psychologist and now it is even more interesting to the woman interested in writing. This movie made movie stars of Sean Penn. He was so great for one so young. His best scene was when he was trying to get his best friend to see that the current course of action was to far above them and he needed to figure out a way to get out without losing respect. Tom Cruise, as the young man to whom shooting a gun was always the answer and he was the one you grew to dislike, but still felt sorry for. And of Course, Timothy Hutton, who just off his first professional movie role and an Academy award, did a fine job as a young leader of a military school, that after 150 years has been assigned to close, in a year's time. It is his final year of High School and he is given the top honor of Cadet Major. When a  series of unfortunate events leaves him in charge of over 100 young boys, 12-17, he tries to hold on to the only lesson he has ever learned from the man he as grown to loved as a father.
The conflict of trying to do the right thing, maintain order, and dealing with a sense of his youth and inexperience are apparent throughout.
This is a fine movie to see, but history of this country's climate about war and authority are recommended. Otherwise enjoy the fine acting of these once young and  still talented actors.
622604
This was one of my favorite films growing up. I never knew such angst but I could understand it, as teen hormones raged with all of us and no parent really understood any of us. Every teen girl should meet James Dean. He was so deep and intense and emotional.  And Natalie Wood was charming and sad and had trouble figuring out the world around her, as did Dean. The saddest character was Sal Mineo. Here were three teens (or so-called teens as they were slightly older) who had issues that were not sugar-coated. Sadly all three died tragic deaths in real life.  I bought this DVD for my teen granddaughter who really loves old movies. (To me old movies means Cary Grant. To her, this is old).  She cried. She "got" it.  And with Paul Walker dying recently so tragically in a Porche like Dean, it meant even more.  Great flick. Great acting. Good quality DVD.
2919533
We who are Americans have little realization what childhood in an occupied country would be like.  This movie shows pre-teens being themselves against the stark reality of the world war II era in France.
It is at once a coming of age movie and a social conscience movie, succeeding on both levels.  There is a gentle humor in scenes.  The drama is underplayed.  The story speaks for itself and has a flow throughout.  There are no great surprises, no great dramatic heights here.  But there is a real story here of childhood bonding.
This is a French film with subtitles, but don't let the subtitles keep you from enjoying this film.
428100
A coming-of-age gay movie that admittedly travels familiar ground, but does so with great, naturalistic acting from an appealing cast (especially the two young protagonists), with a spare but still involving storyline, and with visual and audio effects that truly evoke the feeling of being by the ocean, even though the actual ocean is not often seen.  The film is sincere without being saccharine, and it seems to me to do a commendable job of highlighting the difference between living life authentically and in the swim of things vs. living life by just observing life from the shore.  It may not be a completely original tale, but it is eminently worth watching...and, in my opinion, worth watching again in the future.
3927502
Love this "coming of age" movie that is so much more than that. Great performance by Toni Collette, as usual. The movie is funny, poignant, and light-spirited. Deals with allowing youth to embrace their differences, allow them responsibility in order to grow, and sometimes they surprise you by having more insight than the adults do.
442429
This 1965 British film, set in Country Clare, Ireland, and London, is a coming-of-age story which, though firmly set in the values and attitudes of its day, attains a timeless quality by virtue of an intelligent, fluent script and fine ensemble playing by a top-notch cast. Sarah Miles plays the girl who leaves an Irish fishing village for London, hoping to be joined by her boyfriend, but, desperately lonely, ends up meeting a budding doctor. The story, which I won't spoil by going into more detail, is simple and universal. Anyone who has been in love can relate to it. The film-making shows distinct influences of the French 'New Wave' but uses these techniques judiciously and is creative in its own right. The score by William Alwyn is highly effective and the black-and-white photography lovingly captures the magnificent sky and seascapes of the Irish coast. It is a quiet, almost contemplative film, that uses flashbacks extensively. The weaving of these time transitions is very good, on the whole, but audiences that prefer a linear narrative and buckets of action are not likely to be satisfied. For me, I rate the film highly because I know I already want to watch it again.
3843048
Reading reviews of this movie, I see people are divided into 2 camps: those who really like it and those who don't.  People who are adverse to sexual scenes would be disgusted by it, while those liberal, open minded, easy going folks will enjoy the story for what it is.  If you can watch this movie by yourself, and if you're in your 20s to 30s, or the young at heart, the more power to you.  You'll really enjoy this movie.  It's a coming of age story, as two friends went on a journey with an older ( but still in her prime ) woman, they discovered the love of life.  I find the story believable, honest, sincere, fun and bitter sweet.  The movie is beautifully shot.  It remains one of my favorite foreign movies.  Others are "Sex y Lucia," "A Dream Life of Angel," "Run Lola Run," "Purple Noon," and "Amelie"  Nice thing about watching a foreign movie is that you are not familiar with the actors ( who are very well known in their home country, but not to regular viewers in other parts of the world ,) hence you feel the character is real, and focus solely on the story instead of the celebrities ( who got famous deservingly for their performances )
3912864
THE BEST EVER COMING OF AGE MOVIE! DREW BARRYMORE,AND,BRITNEY MURPHY WERE EXCELLANT IN THIS MOVIE. I WOULD RECAMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE,WHO WANTS TO LAUGHMBUT,ALSO HAS A SERIOUS SIDE TO IT.
765651
I've never seen any other movie set completely in a High School that I found as engaging and compelling as this one.  The main characters are all teens, but it does not feel like a teen movie.  It is a hard-hitting noir film, full of drug issues and gang violence and murder. It is also full of undying love, true friendship, betrayal and loyalty, amateur detective work, bravery and brilliance.

The script is fast-paced and full of slang, which makes it hard to follow sometimes. But when you do catch on to their slang and rythms of speech, it is poetic in every sense of the word.

I love this movie because I identified with the main character so strongly.  I was the nerdy loner with a habit of falling in love with damsels in distress who didn't want to be rescued.  The characters in this story are so vivid and alive, and the plot is so complex and well designed, I think this movie is one of the greatest masterpieces I've ever seen.

But if you don't have the connection I have with the character, or if you have too much trouble following the rapid slang of their conversations, you probably won't enjoy it as much as I did.  I strongly suggest renting the movie, in case you love it like I did. But rent it first, don't buy it until you've seen it, because it has the makings of a cult classic that some people will not enjoy at all.
4050392
This was a very enjoyable coming of age movie with a great ensemble cast. Steve Carrell in particular stands out; I was not used to seeing him play such an unlikeable character, but he really shows his range and honestly makes you despise him throughout. The always underrated Sam Rockwell is also an absolute delight. It was a very funny movie, with a good screenplay, though some aspects of the story did seem a little forced or unbelievable.
495982
Great movie which shows young people what it was like to grow up during the Great Depression.  Some valuable lessons may be learned.
2775582
A coming of age story of a juvenile delinquent, who falls for a girl from a good family. The one thing they have in common is a love of horses. Starting from that common ground, a friendship develops which in turn becomes something more. This movie is an example of finding one's way through the emotional turmoil of the teenage years. It also shows how someone can change through caring for something other than themselves, in this case horses. It's a good foreign film.
1815233
Sleepover is a nice and refreshing reprieve from the typical teenage flick that is often seen today. The movie may be a little dated as it was created in 2004, but it is still well worth the 90 minutes it takes it watch this movie. The story focuses on what everybody can relate to... the perils of entering high school. Even older generations can relate as throughout life we face many similar new experiences. It is so nice to see that a great movie can be made without the use of the usual sex and violence that plagues today's theaters. All in all, this is truly a feel good story about what really matters in life and that is friendship. You can see throughout the film that the bond between the girls as well as with the family get stronger as the movie progresses. With comedic elements throughout the movie, you will definitely end up smiling to yourself and laughing for much of the film. Some of the themes may be a little mature for the youngest viewers, but all in all this is a movie that the whole family can watch together and strengthen their bonds through. It's a shame there aren't more movies like this made in today's film industry.
1340512
As far as movies in this genre goes, this is really a good one. While the music in the film and some of the styles dates it as an older one, it stands the test of time. The acting is good and without going overboard on "heavy" it does have enough to engage the senses in other ways. This movie is weighty on coming of age sensuality, as well as the bond between family members, which at times can be both light hearted and tense. The small town setting lives larger than one would expect and is a more progressive one too. If this film was re-done for today, they wouldn't have had to do much to make it translate, especially if they threw in current events or political messaging, which is so popular in todays movies. But that would ruin it. This film does suspend time a little and lets you appreciate it for what it is...a simple but beautifully rendered production with fab actors, many whom you will recognize as successful industry actors today. This is not a film for young children, but would be OK for older teens or others who can appreciate the script and the acting.
503386
One of my favorite movies from my teenage years! I shared it with my daughter and she loved it too. A classic.
2812559
Back in 2007/2008, this movie came out to rave reviews, mostly from the big city movie critics in NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco. They compared it to Citizen Kane. They gushed about the oil and fire symbolism. They also (rightfully) praised Daniel Day Lewis's lead performance.

Less than 10 years later, few people remember this movie. All those big-city intellectuals missed the mark. I think the movie's most lasting theme is that we Americans have imperfectly evolved from our primitive beginnings. The tension between Lewis and Paul Dano's Eli character displays the dynamic of this theme. Anderson's script also shows this tension with the use of character doubles. Eli's brother and Lewis's fake brother dramatize the inner struggle between the thinness of civilization and the virility of primitive instincts.

Another excellent thing is the movie's production design. The main characters are always surrounded by busy extras transforming primitive plain-lands into railroads and towns as you watch.

It's a wonderful movie, maybe a little slow-paced at times, but then so is History. It's no classic, though. Maybe the movie's biggest message is, Beware Of Gushing Intellectuals.