Angus - O Comilão

Of all things, in my freshman year of high school this movie came out and I was stunned. It was about a guy whose own life mirrored my own I just got up and applauded (literally) through the whole thing. Angus was me in school, right down to his geeky friend/sidekick. I was a different kind of person from the rest of the crowd. I was big, and smart, kept to myself mostly but that was so I didn't get into trouble. The biggest difference? I have Tourrette's Syndrome, and was only beginning to show the major ticks associated with it when this movie came out. It was nice to see that people like me could be shown on the big screen in so positive a way. So of course I had to write a review on it here.

The movie is about a fat kid, who like me was good at science and fair at football (though I truly despise football, thanks Coach!) who has a single mom and lives with his grandfather, both played marvelously by Cathy Bates and George C. Scott. Angus wants to get with the popular chick, who just happens to be dating his arch-rival in school that has suffered numerous broken noses over the years from Angus' wrath.

You grow to love his grandad who gives him advice on how its OK to be different, to just "Screw 'em!" If you're looking for a realistic movie about high school and you were different from the rest of the crowd like I was, then Angus is your movie. And his mom, once more like me, seems to be one of the only people who truly ever understand him. Top it all off with his big science project to be able to attend the Magnet School in town, and you've got something spectacular! Add the soundtrack for extra points and I give it a 10 out of 10! "Go for it Angus!" God, I love that line!

I caught this one zapping around during morning television. I saw a bunch of my favorite actors (George C. Scott, Kathy Bates) and decided to sit it out.

My conclusion, "Angus" is an overlooked gem.

One thing baffles me though: this movie is listed as comedy, but I found not much to laugh about.

"Angus" is in fact a rather painful movie to watch sometimes, because the strongest subject matter it deals with is bullying.

It deals some very real and emotional issues, about parents' frustration about their inability to protect their children all the time. The acting is superb, and to be honest, the comic relief was a tad out of place.

The movie contains some very good acting and some excellent scenes and dialogue. It also features a heart wrenching monologue by Angus (played by Charlie Talbert) when he confides in his grandfather (George C. Scott), who's about to be married.

So, see beyond the awkward comic elements and "Angus" is an enjoyable, "actor driven" movie that did not get the attention it deserved.

You'll probably enjoy the soundtrack as well. Whatever happened to the obviously talented Talbert anyway?

Angus was a wonderful movie. it followed the most basic of plot lines, but what i loved about it was the acting, writing, and directing, because those were what made Angus extraordinarily good and unique. chris owen was a triumph, and let's not even talk about charlie talbert. Angus also has a quality to it that was very reminiscent of the story it was based on. the exchanges between Angus and Troy were literally the best i've ever seen. they are truly the original dynamic duo of disaster. with luck, other characters hoping to achieve that particular brand of fame will be measured against them for years to come. ps: read the short story if you haven't. pps: james van der beek gave a great (though small) performance, very uncharacteristic of "the kid's movie villain".

I saw this movie for the first time when I was eight-years-old and after all these years, it still remains one of my favorites. It's one of the rare teen movies from the 1990s that isn't truly terrible. I'm surprised it wasn't talked about on Vh1's I LOVE THE 90S.

It's an unwritten rule that if a movie starts with a voice over, chances are it is going to suck. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, if a movie starts with a voice over, you as the viewer, are screwed. ANGUS is one of the exceptions in which the voice over doesn't hurt the movie. Could the movie have done without it? Probably, but Charlie Talbert has such a good voice that the voice over didn't bother me.

Based on a short story written by Chris Crutcher, one of my favorite authors, ANGUS tells the story of a fat kid. At first glance, it may seem like just another movie in which a series of fat jokes ensue. However, unlike those movies, ANGUS has heart. Angus is not a target for fat jokes. He is an actual character. Well developed and wonderfully played by Charlie Talbert, Angus is one of the most memorable characters in film history, making this the stand-out movie of 1995. ****

Angus (1995)

*** (out of 4)

Charming gem about an overweight teenager named Angus (Charlie Talbert) who is constantly being tormented by the kids at his school. This eventually leads to him being the target of a prank that gets him elected homecoming king where he's going to have to dance with the Queen, which just happens to be the girl of his dreams (Ariana Richards). Through all of this Angus has his grandfather (George C. Scott) and mother (Kathy Bates) there trying to do what's best for him. ANGUS is a truly charming little gem and it's really too bad that it never found a bigger audience because it's really a good little movie. Of course it's going to have a big message going throughout but what really makes this film work are the performances and the relationship that Charlie has with the people around him. The main focus is the relationship between Charlie and his grandfather with this here getting some of the most heartwarming scenes in the picture. Talbert is excellent in his role as the abused teen as he really has a lot of passion in the performance and I think it's fair to say that he perfectly handles the emotional challenges of the role. Bates is also good in her supporting bit as is James Van Der Beek and Richards. The real scene stealer is George C. Scott who is just so tender and fun here as the advice giving grandfather. The film certainly borrows some from CARRIE but this here is just played for laughs and its message. The film isn't a masterpiece but for its type it's very charming and fun to watch.