Amazing Grace and Chuck

This movie is BAD. A stupid premise, a bad script, less realism than Disney could hope for, and poor execution.

It is bad in every possible dimension of badness. Bad acting, bad directing, bad writing, bad script, bad editing...

Well, maybe it wasn't THAT bad, but LORD, it wasn't good!

I had a very different take on this movie than the previous commenter. I first watched the movie as an adult, with my 7-ish year old daughter and a couple of friends. Though somewhat simplistic in nature, the themes are pretty deep. I view the movie as a kind of audio-visual poem, a Tale rather than a mere story. Not that it's the best movie of all time (sorry, Lawrence of Arabia gets that award from me), but I always highly recommend it because the core ideas are interesting, and the story is told in such a peaceful, respectful way.

Though the plot is definitely tied to the decades old hostilities between the U.S. and the now-defunct Soviet Union (which fell about 4 years after this film was released), the problem of powerful entities at a stand-off is (sadly) a repeating one.I recommend it for any age, but it's definitely aimed at presenting adult themes to young minds.

Provided you are capable of a "willful suspension of disbelief" regarding the implausible plot premise, this is a delightful movie. Truly one of the best kid's movies of all-time (right up there with "The Sandlot").

This movie combines some well-known stars (Gregory Peck, Jamie Lee Curtis, and William Peterson) with some surprising debuts (Joshua Zuehlke as Chuck and former NBA great, Alex English, as Amazing).

The story is heart-warming, with some genuine tear-jerkers, and the closing is uplifting (though a tad predictable). There are some surprises, a few quotable lines, and lots of inspiring moments.

I can't recommend this enough, if you want to believe that anyone can make a difference in this mixed-up world of ours.

Interesting concept for a story that is never fully realized by the end of the film. The relationship between the pro basketball player and his young fan has a father-son feel to it that would be used again with more depth ten years later in Donnie Brasco(1997). Mike Newell gives an interesting message about the fight and sacrifices one takes for his/her cause. Wonderfull use of famous sports athletes and anouncers as themselves. Alex English does alright in the role of the fictional famous Pro basketball player, Amazing Grace. Amazing Grace & Chuck(1987) is a good family film but average as an experience in film viewing.

When this movie came out in the late '80s, it spoke out about nuclear proliferation. But the central themes of passion and commitment resonate beyond the time and the cause. Even if you don't agree with or understand Chuck's refusal to play Little League until all the nuclear silos are cleared, you have to believe in his determination to be the one person who makes a difference.

You don't have to be a sports fan or a political activist to be affected by this film, which combines laughter, tears, dedication and not a few plot twists. Newcomers to the fandom of William Petersen will appreciate his performance as a very conflicted father, trying to do right by his family and his country.