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    		•

    FILMS

    Finding Forrester (2000)
  • Starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham, Anna Paquin, Busta Rhymes

  • Directed by Gus Van Sant


    • Finding Forrester falls into a specific category I have for films. It's a category that is mainly comprised of movies that are incredibly meaningful and moving to me—but I probably wouldn't recommend them to anyone else. Not because they wouldn't like them, but because it's irrelevant to me if people like them. I love them and other opinions are unnecessary. I wouldn't say this is a great movie or that everyone will like it. Some may find it too saccharine or too manipulative while others may find it downright unbelievable.

    Personally, I'd like to think that situations such as the one in Finding Forrester could happen. Not that they necessary will or have happened—just that they should, and it'd be wonderful if they did. For me, this film is a bit like It's a Wonderful Life in that, after seeing all the shit that we do to one another on a daily basis, it gives me a modicum of hope. The characters in Finding Forrester are honest and real and, in the end, show-off some of humanity's best virtues.

    OK. That may have been a bit much. I'll admit that. I like this film for two reasons: first, it deals with two very different people from two very different background who become friends.

    Second, it's about writing—a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. And not only does it discuss writing and the interest and methods of writing, but it discusses these well and in an original way. (Another good film about writing is Wonderboys.)

    (Fair spoiler warning: Stop now or forever hold your peace.)

    Finding Forrester is about a Pulitzer-Prize winning curmudgeon (Connery) in self-exile from the world who meets a smart and gifted young man (Brown) from Brooklyn. As the story evolves, the two becom friends—both respecting each other's worlds, both learning from one another.

    Connery is, as always, brilliant. I could sit and listen to him read Campbell's Soup labels all day long and never get bored. ("Shplit Pea Shoup. Tomato Bishque. Clahm Chowda.") The interplay between the young, black Brown and the old, white (Scottish) Connery is incredibly fun. I love the scene where Brown is clicking away on the typewriter keys and Connery shouts out, "You're the man now, dog!" There's something wonderful in there that never gets old for me. (His other great line from this film is, "How about five-thoushand wordsh on why you'll shtay the fuck out of my home?!")

    Rob Brown is exceptional in this role. He's even more impressive (in my eyes) when I discovered that he has no previous acting experience. None. No theater, no commercials. Nada. Zippo. Zilch. Apparently he and some friends heard that someone was filming a movie in Brooklyn and they tried out to be extras. After being called in a few times for readings, Brown had the lead part. I hope this kid gets some more work, because I think he's got boat loads of acting talent.

    Lately I find myself paying more and more attention to secondary and tertiary characters. I think it's imperative to have a solid story, but it's always a nice treat when the supporting actors have as much depth to them as the leads. This is, by definition, difficult to do—because they generally have less screen time in which to get their character across. It may surprise you, it may not, but I found that both Busta Rhymes and Anna Paquin did stupendous jobs. Rhymes, playing Brown's older brother, is a great secondary character. He's only in three or four scenes, but he seems like an incredibly cool older brother. Rock on, Mr. Rhymes! And Paquin offers the right combination of street-smarts and naiveté that makes her real, and more importantly, lovable.