Tim

This is an excellent, modest story of love between a young, simple man (Mel Gibson) and Mary, a successful, older woman (Piper Laurie).

Director Michael Pate deftly explores the way love deepens without contrivance or adherence to pre-set plot points. Tim is a member of a close-knit family who are all moving away from him -- his sister via marriage, his father via death.

As these changes occur in Tim's life (he is mildly mentally retarded), he is drawn inexplicably but naturally into an unconventional relationship that brings strength and awareness to his life.

Gibson and Laurie are both brilliant in their respective roles, as is the late, great Australian actor Alwyn Kurts, who plays Tim's father and bestows on the character great depth and dimension.

A wonderful, moving film.

MovieAddict2005 painted a very cruel picture of a very sensitive picture.. Mel Gibson's feeling for the not-too-bright, but likable character Tim was a great tribute to the all-round acting talent of a man too easily typecast as an action actor. Piper Laurie was as ever a joy to watch in the difficult part of "the older woman" and endured ageism , (possibly exhibited a little by MovieAddict2005) with dignity, as did Gibson's character against narrow-minded people who are more "retarded" than he is..

The growing love between them - which came from nowhere, as it should -was as beautiful and real as acting can get.

If the overall production was modest, that's OK. Hollywood is not necessarily the best presenter of simple yet complex human conflict and pain.Australian movies, as shown by such as "Mariel's Wedding" (yes, I know about the spelling) have moved on since the uncomfortable silences of the wooden TV series "Spy Force" and the sheer embarrassment of the "cult" "The Outback"

The Yahoo Movies (sorry!) review described "Tim" as "superb". Rightly Though I dislike numeric ratings, I was asked for one - I gave 7/10. If this sounds low, I'd give the marvellous "The Elephant Man" only 9, even though it has the most moving moment in movie history - the close-up of Anthony Hopkins' face when he realises Merrick could read. You could feel the tears in his eyes as they came to your own. "Tim"'s close-ups could not hope to match this, but they were quietly stunning

No film has ever got 10 - perfection doesn't exist. I would score even Citizen Kane, the greatest of all, 9.5. But "Tim" gets 9/10 for sincerity

I just watched this movie because of Mel Gibson,not hoping to see a great movie,but contrary to my foregone conclusion I find this movie meaningful and absorbing.

This movie is the 3rd movie in which Mel Gibson starred & was made in Australia.All the actors did they job very well.

As I mentioned this movie is about a simpleminded bloke who his job is cleaning up people's houses.One day he meets an older woman named Mary and she asks her to clean up his garden there the story begins.Mary sympathize with the illiterate Tim(Gibson) and starts teaching him.Therefore,she sees Tim a lot and they begin to feel for each other.Meanwhile Tim's sister who is getting married,starts worrying and Tim's mother death somehow makes the situation even more complicated....

I recommend this movie to those who love great stories and are in mood for artistic movies.

I found it a moving story of love and innocence on the one hand and ignorance, prejudice and bigotry on the other. All the actors from Piper Laurie and Mel Gibson to the Australian actors who played the deeply loving parents and the bigot sister and husband were simply great. I have rarely seen Mel Gibson acting better after this movie. Compliments for the director. The most wonderful but also saddest thing about this movie was that Gibson grew from an almost tabula rasa mind to a person with more grasp of what the world is about. Thanks to the loving guidance of Laurie he learned to read and appreciate art and music. But it also lead him to understand more of the complexity and sometimes ugliness of people. I would love to see it again. Even though I have seen it twice . Of course looking at a young and beautiful Mel Gibson does not hurt.

"Tim" is possibly the most unknown and under-rated of all the films Mel Gibson has done. It is certainly one of the best and proved, quite early in his career, that he knows his craft very well and is well able to carry off a challenging role to perfection. The title character, Tim, is seeking to know the adult world around him without an adults' understanding of the subtilties of life. Mel Gibson plays the part to perfection, neither feeling sorry for himself nor being so crass as to portray this child/man as "cute and silly". He is simple, "Not the full quid", as Tim puts it. But he feels all of an adults needs and finds the person to explain life to him in a way he can understand. Piper Laurie, as Mary, becomes the most important person in Tim's life; and she plays the role with a kindness and compassion usually not seen in today's actors. This film is a must for anyone concerned with raising and educating a child with the challenge of a mental handicap. One could hope that Mel will do more movies of this type, with the love and understanding and true actor's ability he shows in this, his second movie.