Customer Reviews

Simon Birch

5 star:		(163)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Joe and Simon (Joseph Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith) have always been best pals, maybe because they both felt like outsiders; Joe is illegitimate and Simon is a dwarf. Now, at age twelve, Joe sets out to find his real father and Simon wonders what special plan God has for his life.

This touching story of kids growing up in a small town has the same nostalgic feel of movies like "Stand By Me," painting an idyllic picture of youthful hijinks, loyalty, and courage. Ian Michael Smith, in his only movie role, is excellent as the spunky, brave Simon. Joseph Mazzello, so memorable in "Jurassic Park" and "Shadowlands," is good but has outgrown the adorable little-boy stage and appears stiff at times. The boys are ably assisted by Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt, and David Straithairn and Jim Carrey has a brief cameo as the adult Joe.

The movie is an affectionate homage to childhood innocence and is recommended although some dialogue may not be suitable for young children.

One of my favorite movies,add to my collection
Simon birch is a real hero, helping the children from the bus when it went into the water. An all round good picture

This is one of those movies that makes you think about our lives and the things we value. It is truly inspiring how the two boys bond in a friendship, that at first was forced upon the one boy but as he grew he realized what life lessons Simon Birch actually taught him !! My daughter who is a teacher, is going to show it to her class to teach them some important life values.

My children and I laughed a cried throughout this whole movie.

With so much sex and violence out there, it's hard to find a good family movie...
This is a great movie. It's well acted, has a great plot and a great message of love in every form.

You have to get this movie.

It's not readily apparent who this film should appeal to. There are cute kids but adult language, it's a bit nostalgic, but far less effective than "A Christmas Story", much more tragic than comic, and has a heavily foreshadowed Hollywood-esk ending.

If you're seeking a thoughtful adaptation of "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, Simon Birch will disappoint. The film only covers the first half of the book (and with much less humor than the novel). All but the essential characters and plot points are absent and for unknown reasons all of the character's names have changed. All the political and coming-of-age themes are absent in the film, and even most of the religious angles.

The acting is well done. The kids are sincere and the only oddly cast actor seems to be the faithless Reverend. The movie's ending won't be a highlight for fans of the book, however it might satisfy other viewers. My guess is even they would sense something lacking in the film.

Like most of the people who read the book first, I think this movie could not have sucked more. It sucked, sucked, SUCKED. If you have ever read the book, save yourself the trouble. If you've never read the book, well, read the book. This movie sucks.

People often say that the book is better than the movie, and it holds true again with 'Simon Birch', the movie version of his novel 'A Prayer for Owen Meany'.
Owen Meany may be his best book ever because it is so rich with biblical themes. In the movie these come back, but of course not in full detail. Time does not permit it.
It's still an interesting story and funny at times. You have to be really carefull in listening to the things that are said because they are all important.

Simon (God knows why they changed his name for the movie, you would guess that more people would recognize a movie with the same title as the book) is a dwarf with a weird voice. His best friend's mother is his psychological mother too. The mother (Judd) is very pretty and nice. Through a strange accident she dies and a new person comes in Joe's and Owen's life, his mother;s boyfriend Ben (the always great Oliver Platt). A search for Joe's father ensues and he finally finds out...

Not as funny as 'Garp' or as good as 'Cider House Rules' I am afraid only real Irving fans will enjoy the movie.

Owen Meany is one of my absolute favorite books. Seeing this movie left me stunned. How could anyone destroy John Irving's wonderful story? Other than a few individual scenes, this movie has none of the spirit, power, or story of the book. Consider that Irving wanted his name completely removed from this project and that should tell you something about the quality of this film.

Since I just finished the novel "A Prayer for Owen Meany" only yesterday, I thought I'd write a review for the movie, which I saw several years ago. While it's true that the plot of Irving's novel is oversimplified, one has to remember that a PG rating wouldn't be appropriate for a more faithful adaptation of it. I hated the character of Simon Birch from the beginning; as one other reviewer noted, he's an all-around jerk, rude, foul-mouthed, and unsympathetic to the max. However, let's not forget that the screenwriters changed the characters' names for a reason, namely, this film has to be judged separately from it's inspiration. The movie itself is not as cloying as one might expect, given the main character (Sinon's) crassness, and ultra-cynical perspective on life. In fact, he is less of a Christ-figure than his novel counterpart, less believable in the role. They didn't even make an effort to duplicate Owen's voice. But besides all these complaints, the dnding is a somewhat more realistic than that of the novel, although less powerful. It's still touching. But to all those reviewers who took issue with this movie simply because it departed so sharply and in so many places from the book, I say, "Judge this with a different scale." It's been altered for a reason.

I don't even know where to being. Upon completion of the book A Prayer For Owen Meany, I found my previous adoration for the film slowely spiraling downward. I actually believe this film is a slap in the face to Irving's story. Ian Michael Smith has taken an amazing tale of heroism, faith, and humantiy and dumbed it down into a syrupy sweet family sob story.

Don't see the movie. Instead, take in the story with Irving's amazing words.