president242007

Having read John Grisham's novel "A Time To Kill and having thoroughly enjoyed it, I was enthusiastically looking forward to viewing the movie adaptation of this movie. Perhaps I shouldn't have had high expectations because not only does it lack the depth and quality of the novel -which is perhaps understandable-but the choice of casting leads a lot to be wanted.

To give credit where its due, Matthew McConaughey is great as Jake Brigance (even though the character in the novel is much more jaded and multi-dimensional than the movie version). And Samuel L Jackson does a great job as Carl Lee Hailey. And Brenda Fricker and Kevin Spacey are both good

But somehow Ashley Judd, great actress though she is, is miscast for the role of Carla Brigance. Perhaps this is not entirely her fault because the character of Carla Brigance is not treated well in this movie and lacks the character development or the liveliness that characterizes her in the novel. And Sandra Bullock as Ellen Roark -what were they thinking? Bullock ultimately succeeds in transforming a very intelligent, genial and pleasant character into an obnoxious, shallow and vacuous character who left me cold and unsympathetic toward her -even during the climax of her character's role.

Gone is a lot of the witty dialogue and humorous banter that characterized the Grisham novel. Lucien's character, although good, doesn't have much of the appeal that is such a strength in the book and the same goes for Harry Rex Vonner. And the issues and perspectives are not really examined in the depth that they should be in the movie -even given that a movie adaptation of a book can't go into the same depth, this one is sadly lacking.

All in all I would advise people to read the novel and give the movie a miss.

"13 Going On Thirty" is one of those movies that could have had the potential to be bad but instead proves to be of high quality due to the excellent acting and a wonderful and comprehensive script

It is true that we have seen several successive movies in which characters switch bodies or are fast forwarded to the future to discover what they have become. In fact this has been reflected as much in literature as it has been on the popular screen -as evidenced by Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol'. So it is exceedingly challenging for scriptwriters working on this kind of plot to come up with a unique script containing strong interaction between the characters, humor and a flowing dialogue that will sustain the viewer's interest in the movie which they can predict from start to finish. Yet '13 Going On 30' does just that and keeps the viewer entertained and engaged until the very end.

Jennifer Garner is excellently cast as Jenna Rink. The amount of spontaneity and depth that she gives to her character ensures that she presents a realistic portrayal of an individual who finds herself in the situation that Jenna Rink does. She conveys the character's naivety and idealism exceedingly well and even her facial expressions and hand movements give new meaning to the role of her character. She makes her character both appealing and attractive in a way that an actress of a lesser caliber would be unable to do.

Mark Ruffalo is also superb in his role as Matt. His acting also gives the portrayal of genuine warmth, kindness and friendship in his character and adds to the strength of this movie. He is also perfectly cast for his role. And the same goes for Judy Greer -who is absolutely outstanding and first class in both personalities she portrays in her role-and for everyone else down from Jenna's wonderfully sardonic and entertaining boss to even Jenna's secretary. And all those people who portrayed the younger versions of their characters are just unbelievably gifted in their acting abilities -I think you have to go back to the child actor in the Sixth Sense to find such wonderful child actors as the ones in this movie. I think this movie goes to show that there is a lot of up and coming talent in Hollywood and I look forward to seeing these actors in many future roles to come.

As mentioned previously, the scriptwriters have avoided the shortcomings of many romance or teen movies at the present time in shunning excessively clichéd and stereotypical dialogue and instead focusing on promoting the level of interaction and exchanges between the characters. They examine very closely some of the issues involved in changing age so rapidly -and the shortcomings as well as the advantages that it brings.

The nostalgia value in this movie is also great. The flashbacks to the '80s' and the wonderful music and hits of that decade took me back memory lane and reminded me of many fond memories.

I think this movie appeals to something in quite a lot of us -to change the past, to undo what has been done and to create a better future for ourselves and for those in our lives. I found this movie thoroughly entertaining, enjoyable and charming. 8/10

As one who considered that `My Big Fat Greek Wedding' was overrated, I did not have high expectations for this movie entering into the cinema. I was therefore pleasantly surprised at how entertaining and enjoyable this movie was and the high quality acting of both the main characters and the supporting cast.

Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette are excellent in their roles as Connie and Carla. They give a wonderful dimension of depth and personality to their two characters and have the style, flair and enthusiasm for their roles that that makes them perfect for the roles that they portray. They are natural performers and this movie allows them to showcase their strong points.

They also benefit from having a strong supporting cast. The actors who portray the other drag queens in the film portray their respective roles very convincingly and with a style and flair that is essential to ensuring the success of their roles. The Mafia henchmen are also excellent in their roles and provide the sinister and yet entertaining element necessary for their characters to succeed

The script and plot flows naturally and the jokes and humor are for the most part hilarious and adds to the appeal of the movie. I agree with the criticisms of this movie –that the characters are clichéd, the whole plot very predictable and the film very stereotypical of those in its genre. And yet the wonderful performances and acting of Collete and Vardalos, the talent of the supporting cast, the enjoyable and entertaining humour and even the serious parts of the movie are so engaging that it helps keep the viewer engrossed and entertained. This is a great movie to see if you want to relax and unwind and want some light hearted fun and entertainment