Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

ultrahornetchaser I had to read A Prayer for Owen Meany for AP English, and we watched this movie in class. We have a seminar coming soon that asks "Why do you think John Irving didn't want the name of his book to be attached to this movie?" If you both read the book and watched the movie, it's pretty easy to see why...Basically, the movie trivializes the most important parts of the book, or just doesn't include them at all (where are the three cousins???) The scene where Joe's mom is killed by Simon's baseball is almost laughable because of how cheesy it is, what with its slow motion and everyone's shocked expressions. The scene with the bus crash is even worse because of how...unrealistic it is. There's an entire scene about how Simon can hold his breath for an unnaturally long time, yet he couldn't make it out of the bus when it went under? Really? Owen's death scene in the book (which is completely different from the one in the movie, aside from the fact that he was saving a group of children in both of them) was emotional and literally tied the ENTIRE story together. This, though...it asks more questions than it answers.Adding on to the cheesiness, the kid that plays Joe is a really, REALLY bad actor, and I just can't take him seriously, especially when he acts sad about finding out who his father is or when Simon gets out of the bus. However, the kid that played Simon did a very good job and made for a pretty memorable character. Really, the only other roles in the movie with good actors were the Sunday school teacher and Joe's mother.The only reason this gets more than a 1 is because the movie does have some pretty funny parts, mostly the Christmas pageant scene. Overall though, this really isn't a good movie. It might be okay if you watch it alone, but it simply has nothing on the book. If you liked the movie, I guarantee you that the book is 100 times better.

Amelie I've read several people complaining about one part of the story that does not seem credible in the film, when "the mum dies after being hit on the head by a foul ball in a little league baseball game, hit by the weakest person in the world".The thing is, this is the only part of the film that is true to the book! As someone said, the book is 600 pages long and it's too difficult to make it into a movie, but not impossible so I hope that someday some director will take the challenge on.I thought the acting was very good, especially the two boys. Yes, why Jim Carrey was not credited?

ldougherty-1 Simon birch was a very touching and moving movie that leaves you feeling good in the end. It is personally one of my favorite movies ever made. Ian Michael Smith surprisingly did a great job at acting seeing as how it was his first experience in a movie. Joseph Mazzello, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt, and David Straiharn also played great roles. Simon Birch is a movie filled with lots of laughs, yet also tears. It has a lot to give and is such a great story that will make you think about God and life in a different view. At least it did for me... Simon Birch is like any other average movie. No special effects, action scenes, or things like that but it still is better than most movies out there. This movie is good without the special effects and such. Overall I give it a 9 out of 10!

insomniac_rod Sad, tender, naive... This is a sui generis movie because it deals with a truly sad, moving situation that is carried by a light comedy aspect.The character of Simon Birch may be an example of exploitation but it serves for the movie's purpose. I don't know, this movie may divide opinions. Some people love, others are moved by it, I think that Simon's character is displayed as some kind of "hero" or something like that. I didn't like at all that he was the center of the movie while there were other many situations. Yes, he was a "special" person who had a pure soul and thought God had planned something special for him. In my opinion he was selfish at some points.I haven't read the novel so I guess that many things are explained on there. Still, give this movie a chance. Good performances by the way.