FINDING FORRESTER (2000) *** What if a black inner city kid who could hoop like Jordan read a bunch of books by honkey writers and kept a profound journal? What does it say about our society that this is an unusual premise in the slightest? Rob Brown is the kid, the basketball looks real, and the music ranges from a space jazz rendering of Concerto de Arajuz to slap banjo Somewhere Over the Rainbow: In other words there's no rap or funk. Of course there's no need for rap or funk, especially when Sean Connery is bearding meditations on J. D. Salinger, and F. Murray Abraham represents everything hypocritcal and failed in honkey culture as a latter day Salieri tormenting rich kids at a high school that has parties where parents attend, and anyway tell me who's relevant to this story if Miles Davis ain't. There are simple and profound statements, deep sentiments and worthy shots at even deeper ones-there is also something of a Hollywood feel, though we are inexplicably spared the agony of a cross-cultural multi-racial romance. Strange thing is that there's not a single female character besides the abandoned mother. Gus Van Sant keeps the emotions real and under control (contradiction in terms?) and Matt Damon's cameo is right on the money: great writers see enough to find lukewarm lawyers.
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