Probezeit

I've read the other reviews posted here and concur with all of them. The film triumphs in its realistic depiction of two broken hearts, Jamie's and Graham's. I think, in order to appreciate the story, one must have somehow experienced the psychic shock of childhood abandonment, either emotionally or by outright physical abandonment. The pleasure of watching this film, aside from the acting and cinematography, is having the sense that it will work out okay. At the very end, when Jamie walks briskly to catch up with Graham, slips his hand into the grownup's hand, and then walks much more slowly, one can see in their stride together the fulfillment each has received. I rewound the film at that point to see that scene again.

If you have a sense of love within you, this movie is for you. There are few things as sad as loneliness. And few things as heart wrenching as seeing it overcome.

This film provides both. though it was not a huge success in the theater, (this film was gravely underrated), it is a wonderful story. A bond of trust and love between child and adult, forged in the pain and fear of emptiness. If you missed it in the theater, take the time to find it, and watch it at home.

I can only hope that a long awaited DVD release is near at hand. there are too many movies with 'created' story lines. This one is as real as it comes. If only there were more like it......

An Update... Here in 2012, this has still not been released on DVD. What a shame. I watched it on Laser Disc yesterday, and it is such a wonderful film. Someone missed the boat on the DVD release. Sad...

William Hurt is very believable as a west country postmaster and the adoption process is taken apart in a sympathetic and believable manner. The film has charm and pace while dealing with a difficult subject. If it were to be made now would there be a different emphasis in the light of current obsessions with protecting children from paedophiles?

William Hurt is an interesting actor. Although he has made many money making Hollywood films, he seems to enjoy also making small artistic films that MUST bring him a lot less money but perhaps more personal satisfaction. Among these many "little" films he has done is Second Best--an odd little film well worth watching. Is it a perfect film? Certainly not. At times, it is a bit slow and emotionally sterile--though this is needed due to the type man Hurt is portraying. For some inexplicable reason (it would have been nice to know more about WHY), Welshman Hurt decides to take in a hard to adopt boy with the intention of adopting him. Because the boy has lots of emotional baggage, they do not easily bond and their relationship is strained. However, just because there are these awkward moments, do not stop watching--the payoff is there and the characters are much more realistic (with all their foibles) than what you are usually given in a typical movie!

This is an exquisitely poignant tale of a love-starved, troubled orphan boy and an emotionally incomplete man who has decided to reach out for what he wants most in life: a son. Jamie very much wants to love the kind man who wants to adopt him but is prevented from doing so by the promise he made to his biological father just before dad went to jail: to love him "best in the whole world forever." In what may just be the greatest dramatic performance by a child ever captured on film (surpassing even that of Freddie Bartholomew in "Captains Courageous" who had held that title for that past 60 years), Chris Cleary Miles demonstrates a precocity which makes one wonder if he hasn't already overcome some great tribulation(s?) in his short life in order to give such a compelling performance. Alternately masochistic, loving, violent and affectionate, the range and depth of emotion he portrays are nonpareil. I am still having trouble believing it was only a movie! It is unfortunate that Miles never acted in another movie; on the other hand, when you start at the top you can only go down.

Others have called this William Hurt's greatest role and I would have to agree. While his transformation from the stiff, detached loner to loving father was beautifully written in the book by David Cook, Hurt interprets this flawlessly. In fact you might say the film's brilliance was relatively easy on the heels of Cook's depictions. Nevertheless every scene in the movie is significant and the editing with the multiple flashbacks was excellent. Why this film did not win all kinds of awards is beyond me.

"Second Best" is second best to none in its genre.