With Honors

So i caught this movie in the store and thought I'd give it a go because of Joe Pesci and Brendan Frasier. It's a very rewarding movie about life, and how sometimes we need to step back and see that we're all human. I'll definatly have to commend Brendan on his acting, a great job, and he's won new respect. Heartwarming film.

I watched this movie through once, then rewound it and watched it again. I loved it both times through. This movie shows that you've got to choose how to live your life rather than just let it happen. It's a very "carpe diem" experience ;) It's also a perfect mix of comedy and drama, Patrick Dempsey and Joe Pesci kept the laughs coming. Not for the cynical or the bitter, enter it with an open heart and you can't help but be affected.

I´m one of those people who knows what to expect from a movie and the best part of it is that you can be surprised.

"With Honors" is certainly one of my favorite little movies so far. There are times when one gets tired from blockbuster-movies and cars blowing up and heros and spies and guns and the all-so-great 'wipe out the world ploy' (yes, I am quoting The Mummy Returns). I stopped by Blockbuster and decided I´d watch old movies and simple ones, so I got what I wanted but it was more than satisfying.

I love Joe Pesci and as surreal and unreal as his bum version was, you can´t help loving the guy. There was something very ´common place´ (the poor but incredibly wise man that is) about it, but the movie has it´s merits.

I knew Brendan Fraser could kick ass and look hot but I was pleased to see him act. The guy´s good and his character was really captivating, which gets the movie going.

There is a lesson coming from the movie, but it´s not one that will make you want roll your eyes (although it´s perfectly acceptable).

I watched it twice, and I´d watch it again.

i'm tough on movies. i'm a critic for my college paper and i don't like alot of films i see. "with honors" impressed me, though.

i have never liked brenden frasier but he fit this part well. i totally bought him as a harvard student bent on graduating with honors. he begins the movie obsessed with his classes, thinking that receiving his "honors" diploma was all that was important in life for him. he spends day and night studying and working on his senior thesis. when joe pesci's character gets his hands on the only copy of the thesis, though, frasier is forced to focus on other things. pesci handles this role very well. he has never looked like mel gibson or kevin costner or whoever the big leading men are and he was a fine choice to play a down-and-out homeless man. he's a great actor who is probably the reason this movie is labeled "comedy." pesci is seen as a pain by frasier and his roommates for a while, as they see him as being a bum and not an equal to themselves. however, through his kind nature and wisdom from living a very difficult life, he earns their respect and makes them realize that some things are more important than graduating college with honors. life is the thing you want to end with honor. to say these were one-dimensional characters is blatantly false. frasier and each of his roommates grow as a result of their relationship with pesci. they change their whole focuses in life and find what is really important: friendship and honor. pesci's character undergoes his own transformation as he goes from an unlikeable, greedy man to an honorable man with good friends who have great admiration for him. Grade: 9 of 10

With Honors (1994)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Brendan Fraser plays Monty, a Harvard student who believes that his thesis is going to send him into the perfect life with the perfect job. The only problem is that the papers fall into the hands of a homeless man named Simon (Joe Pesci) who plans on using them to get things that he needs.

WITH HONORS was released to some really horrible reviews and I still remember going to see it on its opening weekend and leaving the theater wondering what everyone had missed. The film took a real beating from critics and it didn't do too well at the box office but for my money it was one of the better movies released that year. Is it a masterpiece? Of course not but it's certainly a very good, heart-warming and funny picture.

One thing that the film deserves credit for is taking a serious look at being homeless. This includes how someone can become homeless and then it talks about the various issues that happens because of it. I thought the film was very intelligent when it came to the subject matter and unlike so many other movies this one here at least had something to say on its subject.

The best thing about the movie were the performances with Pesci leading the way in a very good role. Pesci was on a hot streak during this era as he was coming off the box office hit of HOME ALONE as well as an Oscar-win for GOODFELASS. He really makes a memorable character here as he can handle the drama and the laughs without any problem. Fraser is also very believable in his role and we get some nice support from Moira Kelly, Josh Hamilton and Patrick Dempsey.

The film certainly does a very good job at mixing the laughs with the drama and to me WITH HONORS remains a film that never got its due.