IMDb RATING
6.4/10
3.9K
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A somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the t... Read allA somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the town and his family see her as predatory.A somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuses his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the town and his family see her as predatory.
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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.
This is one of the better films I have seen starring Mel Gibson. A low budget, Australian film, made in the late seventies, it is a real change from his usual offerings. The basic plot outline (promise I won't spoil! :)) is that Gibson plays the title role of Tim, a 24 year-old man who is slightly mentally retarded. Piper Laurie excels as 'Mary Horton' a successful forty-something widow who takes a romantic interest in Tim, but is unsure if a relationship will work.
The thing that struck me about this movie was it's basic principle. It is not uncommon for rich, forty-something men to be seen with attractive, supposedly less-intelligent women. 'Tim' turns this on its head having a rich, older woman hooking up with an attractive, less intelligent younger man. Society frowns on the latter form relationship, I'm not sure why, and it adds an interesting angle to the story.
The only complaint about the film is the ending. They had such a fantastic idea but the movie just...ends. Loose ends are left and to be honest it seemed tacked on or just plain rushed.
It is a good, heartwarming film with a few weepy bits and one-or-two good ideas not explored well enough but still entertaining nonetheless.
The thing that struck me about this movie was it's basic principle. It is not uncommon for rich, forty-something men to be seen with attractive, supposedly less-intelligent women. 'Tim' turns this on its head having a rich, older woman hooking up with an attractive, less intelligent younger man. Society frowns on the latter form relationship, I'm not sure why, and it adds an interesting angle to the story.
The only complaint about the film is the ending. They had such a fantastic idea but the movie just...ends. Loose ends are left and to be honest it seemed tacked on or just plain rushed.
It is a good, heartwarming film with a few weepy bits and one-or-two good ideas not explored well enough but still entertaining nonetheless.
Caught this film on cable, late night, a few years back. No idea what to expect, just wasn't ready to go to bed. By the time it ended, it was in my Top 10 of all time. Certainly the lowest budgeted film (accounting for inflation, anyway) on that list.
Gibson was terrific, capturing a handicapped young man perfectly. But, hey, the entire cast was great, especially Awyn Kurts as Tim's father. And, after appreciating Piper Laurie for years and years, that night I fell in love with her.
I've never seen such a "tight" little film. I doubt that there were more than 12 seconds of even semi-wasted frames. Michael Pate did an amazing job.
Gibson was terrific, capturing a handicapped young man perfectly. But, hey, the entire cast was great, especially Awyn Kurts as Tim's father. And, after appreciating Piper Laurie for years and years, that night I fell in love with her.
I've never seen such a "tight" little film. I doubt that there were more than 12 seconds of even semi-wasted frames. Michael Pate did an amazing job.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Piper Laurie's character comes outside to read whilst Tim is working in the yard, the book she is reading is "The Thorn Birds", written by Colleen McCullough, the same author as "Tim". When Tim joins her for tea he asks if the book is any good, and she responds that it is very interesting. Several years later, Piper Laurie had a role in the TV miniseries that was made out of The Thorn Birds.
- GoofsThe boom and the shadow of the boom operator follow Mary out of her kitchen in the bottom right of the screen at the beginning of the film.
- Quotes
Tim Melville: You told me that one day I would be so happy that I'd cry
- ConnectionsFeatured in Mel Gibson: The High Octane Birth of a Superstar (2002)
- How long is Tim?Powered by Alexa
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- Also known as
- Tim - Kann das Liebe sein?
- Filming locations
- Palm Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia(beach scenes)
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