A film review by Mark O'Hara Copyright © 2001 Mark O'Hara

FINDING FORRESTER, directed by Gus Van Sant, gives viewers an engaging story to follow, as well as strong lessons in the human preoccupation of making assumptions.

The film opens with characterization: we meet Jamal Wallace, played by Rob Brown, and learn the routine of his life. Jamal lives in the Bronx, carries a basketball with him virtually all day, and does not nearly reach his potential in high school. One thing, though: Jamal is constantly jotting in notebooks and trying to write amid the noise of his mother’s apartment. Nicely directed scenes show Jamal with his friends in the cafeteria, as well as on the basketball courts. When the boys begin talking about “The Window” – the unknown man who uses binoculars to watch the games – the film introduces the most complicated character. The title character is a Boo Radley type: he’s never been spotted outside his decaying apartment building, and he’s rumored to have killed someone.

Spectators see how wrong assumptions can be when Jamal’s high state proficiency exam scores get him into an exclusive prep school in Manhattan. There he meets opposition on the basketball court (in the form of a rich kid named Hartwell) as well as in the classroom (Professor Crawford, played by F. Murray Abraham). In the main plot, Jamal takes a dare, and breaks into the apartment of the recluse. Quickly Jamal discovers that “The Window” is William Forrester (Sean Connery), a 70 year-old novelist whose first work, AVALON LANDING, placed him on the map of American literature. It’s been almost 50 years since the book came out, and except for articles in magazines, Forrester has produced no second opus. Of course there are loads of assumptions concerning his situation; Forrester makes Jamal promise not to reveal anything about their meetings, and soon the legendary Scottish-American writer is tutoring the black teenage basketball star.

The script deserves much of the credit for the film’s subtlety. Granted, we spot many patterns that cause us to compare the story to others we have seen (GOOD WILL HUNTING, SCENT OF A WOMAN, etc.), but FORRESTER does not hit viewers over the head with too much sentiment. For instance, there is the scene in which Jamal happens upon a photo album containing pictures of Forrester’s youth. A lesser director would bury the moment under melodramatic music and flashbacks, but Van Sant simply shows us the snaps, and involves us by suggesting the love that must have existed among the members of Forrester’s now-lost family.

Sean Connery certainly lends credibility to the role. As we have learned from the too-complete trailer, Connery seems a natural contrast to young Rob Brown. At first Forrester holds his own assumptions about the teen, yet he overcomes them so easily that we are soon charmed by their unlikely relationship. The word “ease” describes Connery’s performance well, as it compliments the demands of the script. In a sequence in which Forrester ventures out of his apartment and becomes separated from Jamal at a sports arena, the venerable man’s shake-up is subtle. Instead of injecting an unsettling montage or having Forrester shout in panic, Van Sant simply has his character collapse into a doorway – hide himself from the rush of modern life until he is rescued by Jamal.

Rob Brown understates his character well. For one, he does not showboat or employ too many expressions. Indeed he reacts naturally to any situation he encounters, and plays well off the actors around him. Brown shows a lot of the same promise shown by his character in the movie.

The supporting cast is another reason the film succeeds. Busta Rhymes plays Terrell, Jamal’s older brother, who is in charge of parking attendants at Yankee Stadium. Rhymes uses humor and exhibits the genuine love of a brother. Fly Williams III plays Fly, who is as close as a brother to Jamal; this character highlights the importance of friendship, one of the film’s main themes. Anna Paquin is underused as Claire Spence. I have to wonder if some scenes featuring Claire may have been cut, as the subplot in which her character is engaged does not turn out the way we expect.

F. Murray Abraham portrays the detestable, sarcastic Crawford very well. Unfortunately, the role is the most stereotypical in the film, and Abraham is typecast – rather a modern-day Antonio Salieri. His lines are the weakest in the script, and we get the cheapest thrills when Crawford gets his comeuppance at the end.

A mixture of clichés and brilliant originality, FINDING FORRESTER leaves us with an elusive and rare feeling of immediate gratification. The film holds up well hours and days after it is viewed, but it’s the uplifting jolt to the spirit that makes us love the story while we are still in the theater. Viewers will enjoy the cameo of an uncredited actor, as well as the shots of New York City. In all, it’s a must-see for Connery fans, and the film’s themes should attract a wide audience.

	Running Time: 133 Min | Rated: PG-13 | US Release: Jan 12th | More >>

Related Links:

• Official Site
• The Fetal Film Report.
• Upcomingmovies.com: Finding Forrester

In an ordinary place, he found the one person to make his life extraordinary.