Anna Paquin, Busta Rhymes, F Murray Abraham

Four decades ago, William Forrester won a Pulitzer Prize for his classic novel. That was the last time the world heard of him. Now a recluse in Manhattan, his passion for literature is awakened by Ja...( read more  read more... )mal a 16-year old basketball player recruited by an elite Manhattan prep school for his brilliance both on and off the court. When Jamal sneaks into Forrester's apartment, he accidentally leaves behind his backpack, full of his precious writings. Finding these, Forrester is opened to a new world, one that gives him a reason to look past his prejudice and a reason to emerge from his self-imposed solitude. Forrester becomes his first fan and opens Jamal's eyes to a world of academia beyond the South Bronx apartment he shares with his adoring mother and brother. Though at times contentious, Forrester befriends Jamal and becomes his mentor. They spend many hours in Forrester's dusty apartment laughing, learning, debating and dedicating themselves to the love that binds them - the written word. Forrester convinces Jamal to enter the school's writing contest, but their friendship and loyalty is tested when Jamal must face an accusation of plagiarism - alone.

Flixster Users

77% liked it

60,896 ratings

Critics

74% liked it

121 critics

PG-13, 2 hrs. 15 min.

Directed by: Gus Van Sant

Release Date: December 20, 2000

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DVD Release Date: April 24, 2001

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Stats: 3,193 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,193)


  • June 6, 2009
    "In an ordinary place, he found the one person to make his life extraordinary."

    An afro-american teen writing prodigy finds a mentor in a reclusive author.

    REVIEW

    Authentic, high-concept,...( read more) the film refreshes with its wonderful storytelling through setting and rich characterization, sold perfectly by an outstanding core of actors. The character of Jamal played brilliantly by an unknown, Rob Brown; he manages to make me wonder whether he really isn't Jamal. Sean Connery is wonderful to watch as an eccentric Salinger-type author, F. Murray Abraham played this as perfect as anything seen, and every supporting actor performed such that we are never disturbed from the story. And the director certainly gets credit for balancing high-concept with the constraints. Whatever style he used to guide his cast, it surely let them shine and sold the movie.

    Upon second watching, the evocative soundtrack provides deep storytelling wonder not found in even many of the prominent great films which relied on the soundtrack to reverberate emotionally--not provide more story elements.

    What still stays with me is the haunting closing with a beautiful song medley, arranged such that the overplayed songs are given new life and totally different candor, and a camera angle that my slow wit only picked up on the second time: the shot was from the apartment.
  • May 17, 2009
    I saw this for the second time today. I am a sucker for movies of self-discovery, and this movie fits that bill - for both Jamal and Forrester. Much of the movie is spent in Forrester's condo where the two of them become friends while writing stories. I enjoyed their performa...( read more)nces, and also Anna Paquin's role as a student who takes Jamal under her wing. If you like inspirational movies, watch this one.
  • June 11, 2008
    Who's the man now? You dog!
  • March 3, 2008
    you gotta yell out the title in a heavy sean connery accent:

    "FINDING FORRESHHHHHTER"
  • January 1, 2008
    Movie about two different people - a novelist recluse and a teenage basketball player.
  • November 20, 2009
    You will love this film.
  • November 18, 2009
    Buen tema. Buena pelicula. Algo lenta. Para verla solo una vez y ya.
  • November 13, 2009
    In my opinion best movie Sean connery played in. It is a bit of a tear jerker but it can be quite helarious as well
  • November 1, 2009
    Reminded me of Good Will Hunting the whole time and the suprise was quite good in the last episode. It was a great movie.
  • September 30, 2009
    Don't remember much of it.

Critic Reviews


March 19, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

An anti-intellectual film about the intellectual life. full review

February 6, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Funny and touching. full review

December 22, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Movies about writers are notoriously hard to do, since writing by its nature is not cinematic. Finding Forrester evades that problem by giving us a man who wrote one good novel a long time ago, and no... full review

View more Finding Forrester reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • bigpixels
    July 1, 2007
    YTMND
  • ababy90
    April 29, 2007
    I absolutely love this movie. Jamal is an inspiration to me...and he's my husband. This is my favorite movie!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Finding Forrester Trivia


  • In which movie do we find recluse Sean Connary as a best selling author hiding in the Bronx  Answer »
  • True or False? Matt Damon made a cameo appearance as a lawyer in the movie Finding Forrester starring Sean Connery.  Answer »
  • Name the movie with all of the following actors Sean Connery Rob Brown Anna Paquin Busta Rhymes  Answer »
  • What movie did the line "You're the man now dog!" come from, later making Sean Connery an internet LEGEND?  Answer »

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