Movie Review Template (Page 3 of 3) in pdf

should have had bigger, more substantial parts. Also, I didn’t get the whole

subplot with the evil moonshine dealers and why they tormented little Willie

and Skip. It seemed like a fictional part that was slapped on to cause more

conflict. Despite these objections, the entire production was shot so

effectively that it seemed that it genuinely conveyed feeling of growing up

in rural Mississippi. The attention to detail and the accuracy of the time

period are phenomenal. I felt completely immersed in this world and felt the

full effect of this moving story. Even the southern accents were much better

than average.

The message of this film is very clear and invokes plenty of nostalgia to

anyone who can identify growing up in a rural town. It’s about passing into

adulthood, remembering old friends long gone, and the desire to remember

or relive happy moments in our lives that may be fading from our memory.

Morris is certainly a master at preserving his own memories by writing it

down for others to enjoy. I truly believe that this story is his gift, not only to

the people of Mississippi, but to all who want to remember their past, and

the friends they left behind.

This movie is PG, a rating which might run off some of the older crowd, but

it’s truly a movie for everyone. Most films geared for children these days

depend on lame, pop-culture references and gas-passing jokes in a

patronizing attempt to entertain the younger masses. This movie rises above

all of that to become one of the most watchable non-Disney film for children

since 1993’s “Searching for Bobby Fischer.” Your date might resist going,

but try to talk them into it. They won’t regret it and neither will you.

Scale of 1-5:

4 ½

Coop Cooper is an independently syndicated film critic, living in Los Angeles. He is

originally from Clarksdale, Mississippi and a Southerner at heart. He graduated from

Southern Methodist University with a B.F.A in Cinema, and received his Masters in

Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Hollywood. You can read his past

reviews at

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