The Chosen

The Chosen is an excellent film. It opens up in an inner-city playground softball field, where Reuvan (Barry Miller) gets hit in the eye by a baseball hit by Danny (Robby Benson), an Hasidic Jew. The two soon become friends and teach each other about their different worlds. It's a very realistic film, not at all overdone as some films of this genre are. There are no fancy camera techniques, and the movie centers on character development rather than spiffy editing or cinematic style. The screenplay is superb and the acting is very believable. Rod Steiger as Danny's ultra-Orthedox rabbi father and Maximilian Schell as Reuven's liberal father along with Miller and Benson are excellent. Elmer Bernstein's quiet, Jewish sounding score is also a plus. This is an enjoyable film that has a lot to say about friendship, growing up, and religous faith.

The first word to define it was "magnificent". For the delicate freshness. For the precise definition of tradition, fatherhood, Hasidic life, friendship. For the inspired portrait of the birth of a world. For lovely performances. For the grace of atmosphere. And for its status of film about fundamental things defining each of us. A great film, a pure gem.

I watched this film recently in class (intro to Western Religion) when we were learning about the ethics in Judaism. I was late for class, so I missed the beginning. However, the parts I managed to see were excellent. "The Chosen" might be the most entertaining film I've ever been forced to watch.

I felt that the story was engrossing; I actually cared about the characters and their friendship. I also thought that the acting was superb. However, I kept being distracted by the fact that Robby Benson looked like Hayden Christensen. For a film used as an educational tool, I could not have asked for much better. This is a very well made and interesting movie. It will teach you a lot.

I'm overjoyed that this excellent film is finally available on DVD. Robby Benson gives a performance that may finally receive the proper recognition. This is a story about friendship, true heart and life -- just see it and enjoy the richly developed performances and storytelling that unfold like a beautiful flower -- simply great.

This is by far my favorite Jewish movie ever. Although I'm not Jewish in this lifetime, I get in moods for Jewish movies...and this is the one I always want to watch first. It is a soft-spoken movie that makes some big observations about life and religion. The most intriguing idea is about what one should do with a brilliant child who shows little sensitivity about the feelings of others. I think this is Robby Benson's best work, and everyone else in the movie was excellent, too.