With Honors (Snap Case)
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Movie Reviews of With Honors (Snap Case)
Movie Review: Well Worth It!
Summary: 4 Stars
The editorial review described the scene where the classroom lecture takes place as "unbelievable".
Okay, true, probably wouldn't happen. Doesn't matter, it was great all the same. Joe Pesci can steal the show and he does not disappoint in this film. This film has the humor as well as the poignant parts. If there is one weak link it's Patrick Dempsey. At times humorous, but overall I considered him an afterthought. I really enjoyed it. The description sounded interesting, but it was even better than I thought it would be.
Movie Review: A GUILTY PLEASURE
Summary: 4 Stars
What can I say? I like this movie. I know it is manipulative and contrived. You know how it's going to end, but it is a very entertaining movie! It does have it's virtues though. A very insiteful film that has a lot more going for it than just another college frathouse flick.Movie Review: really good
Summary: 4 Stars
worth the money but dont think it is a feel good happy movie
its about LIFE!
Movie Review: Get That Boy A Floppy Disk...
Summary: 3 Stars
I couldn't help being impressed by the favorable comments some of the "citizen reviewers" (as I like to refer to us) have posted below. I sometimes write reviews in a kind of pseudo-professional mode--and sometimes do just the opposite. But it's always interesting to me to see the disparity (and occasional congruity) between the views of the pros (for which nowadays you only have to consult "rottentomatoes.com")and us amateurs (as exemplified here).
But when I am not playing critic, I sometimes recall playing actor, artist, singer or actor myself (done the amateur thing in all of those realms too) and become perhaps a little more appreciative of and grateful for the "non-professional" point of view. Sometimes the non-professional audience "gets" the point of a work more readily and more completely than the more jaded critical corps. I can't help but think of how the filmmakers and the cast members would appreciate some of the kinder comments posted below. It's nice to know that your work touched somebody.
Which is not to imply that WITH HONORS (the movie I am ostensibly reviewing here) is a particularly good film. It really isn't. The filmmakers have their hearts in the right place, but this story of an ambitious young grad student learning some valuable life lessons at the hands of street wise and plain old philosophically wise middle aged bum (Joe Pesci) is fairly predictable and not much to write home (or to write a thesis) about.
Forgive the joke. It is, of course, a college thesis written by college whiz Montgomery Kessler (Frazer) that serves as the keye plot device in this film. Young Monty loses his sole copy of his academic masterpiece (has this genius never heard of FLOPPIES?) only to find that it about to become kindling for the proud,unbowed and self-avowed bum, Simon Wilder (Pesci), who generously offers NOT to burn the young scholar's work in exchange for a bit of help in the food, clothing and shelter department. Montgomery is at first appalled. But you can pretty much guess what's going to happen next. The natural resentment and qualified disgust Monty feels toward Simon will soon enough give way to friendship and respect. And this nose-to-the-grindstone academic noodge will soon learn about *LIFE* from this graduate of the School of Hard Knocks.
Of course, almost no sooner does their friendship take root than it is discovered that Simon also has a fatal disease (asbestiosis, which has its roots in Simon's years in the Merchant Marine--so, you see, he is a victim of the system). He will die--we will soon see--tragically rejected by his own family, but nonetheless embraced by his new-found family (Monty and his housemates).
It's a variation on a theme older than the movies. I note one reviewer defends the film by noting that there ARE some surprises. There may be, but not enough to elevate the film into the "true original" category. But it's reasonably well acted, well photographed and competently directed (not really a bad beginning for first time dramatic director Alek Kesheshian--whose previous work included the Madonna doc TRUTH OR DARE). And while I don't think it deserves kudos, every film finds its audience (well, not EVERY film, but a good many), and for younger viewers who haven't been brought up on a steady diet of hokum, it could even be a refreshing change of pace from their actual steady diet of special effects laden action films.
Sometimes we older viewers tend to forget that our "old hat" may be new for SOMEBODY. This is a film with heart, and that counts for something. As fans of WITH HONORS get older--and perhaps a little more jaded themselves--they might even find that they understand and even begin to agree with the criticisms levied against this sort of film. They will likely see that a film can be simultaneously heartwarming AND manipulative. But they will probably still look back at it affectionately. And they may re-watch it (perhaps furtively). At that point, they might start to consider it something of a guilty pleasure. Actually, it's nothing to feel particularly guilty about. It's an OK film with an OK message and some good acting.
That too counts for something.
Movie Review: Write this again...in thirty years
Summary: 3 Stars
This predictable story attempts to be deep, but never makes it past the shallow end. Pesci's great truths to the youth are simplistic, and presented to the students in uninteresting undramatic ways. The students buy into him...only because the script tells them to. I think even junior college students wouldn't take Pesci or his rantings seriously. It's a nice premise, but the script doesn't have the weight necessary. My guess is that the scripwriter was relatively young, and couldn't be expected to present the great essential truths learned from a life lived, when he himself hasn't made that journey yet. A suggestion: "The Paper Chase" with Timothy Bottoms and John Houseman...a much better, satisfying, and involving film about growing wiser while attending Harvard.