Very predictible but it touched me and I love when a movie can tug on my heartstrings. Very overexaggerated and the ending was a bit rushed but I would recommend this to anyone of my friends.
Despite well known actors such as Beau Bridges, Sean Astin, Linda Hamilton and Cheri Oteri - this is a low LOW low budget film and it's very apparent. HOWEVER this film was not out to win any Oscars - it's more to generate more public awareness for the International Charity "Operation Smiles" that brings the best plastic surgeons from around the world together to perform plastic surgery on facial deformaties such as cleft lips, etc. on children. A sweet story about a high-school girl in LA who travels to China to volunteer one summer; but a real life story in special features might serve to inspire even more so.
Katie, a teenage girl from Malibu, California, finds herself in the throes of growing up, facing her parents, her boyfriends, her sexuality and a very privileged life. Half a world away in rural, China, Lin, born on the same day as Katie, faces a much different reality. Because of a severe facial deformity, she lives a life of fear and shame. Her father, Daniel, has devoted his life to her, with hopes and dreams that her circumstances will change one day. The opportunity comes with the discovery of the worldwide "Doctor's Gift" program. Katie volunteers and comes to China. Once there, she is deeply touched by the work, which prompts her to take off on her own to find Lin. A "smile" is brought to Lin's face, Katie finds her soul and their extraordinary connection becomes a life-changing experience for both girls. characters are well thought-out and are represented well by the actors. Mika Boorem plays the part of Katie as a self-involved teenager that has it all. It is interesting to see how she transforms into someone whose mission it is to help someone else.
It is indeed an uplifting movie. I loved it. It showed to me the very esssence of friendship and love to others. Hope you have time to watch this film. You'll love it.
A truly beautiful story, and an incredible depiction of a very sensitive - rarely discussed issue. Putting the brutal truth out there of hardships in the poorer parts of the world; and yet the heart warming and hope giving knowledge that there are good people out there who strive to make a difference. While this movie will bring tears to your eyes, it is through the very true-to-life, even though sometimes over exaggerated, acting and flawless story told through the eyes of this amazing director. It will warm your heart and, in fact, leave you with a - Smile.
This movie was a shocker. It was a pretty good concept and I think in the right hands it would of turned out really well but the acting was atrocious. Even the people on day time soapies could act better then these people did. I should probably rephrase that to saying they could act better then the 'western' actors. It was as if the directors had found people on the street with no former training, given them the script 15 minutes before they shot the scene and told them to be over dramatic. A fine example of this was when Katie's mum (played by Linda Hamilton) was having a discussion with her husband (played by Beau Bridges). While Beau was speaking his lines you could see Linda's lips moving while she mouthed his words, either in an attempt to remember her lines or to help him with his. Another thing was the tantrums these people had. It was like watching a badly choreographed dance and the dancers concentrating so hard they ended up completely out of time!
I did watch the whole movie though and I give it four stars mainly for the concept and the fact it kept me intrigued enough to watch it to the end, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Even if they had very bad taste in movies.
It was a little movie that tried. Mika Boorem [you probably know her from Blue Crush] is a high school student who travels to China with some fellow students and her teacher [Sean Astin who is not a hobbit here] for a project helping facially disfigured kids obtain corrective surgery. Her sudden interest in altruism seemed unlikely but the entire story is well-meaning so that has to be worth something.
Although this was a touching movie, it still had a lot of potential to achieve something greater. There's not enough character development/depth and the end is too happy and perfect. Recommended, but don't go out of your way.
It was horrible! I must say I hated it a lot. The plot was so simple, but at the same time really complicated. The two main charactors don't even meet until the last 10 minutes of the movie, and about 7 of thoes minutes, one of them is having surgery done.
MCT:June 22, 2008
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MCT:May 9, 2006
