The Climb

I disagree completely with Sweedy regarding the plot. I found the plot to be very plausible. The character studies were very well laid out, and the movie worked well enough for me to rate it very highly. I could relate very well to everything in the movie, including wanting to climb a tower in my neighborhood when I was younger. Perhaps one needs to understand the setting for this film to understand the movie completely. The people that made this movie did a great job of capturing the feel of the era, and wove the story and the characters into a very memorable film.

Title: The Climb, Directed by Bob Swaim, Written by Vince McKewin ("Fly Away Home"), Executive Produced by Mark McClafferty, Robert Réa, Produced by Pamela Edwards McClafferty, Mark McClafferty, Tom Parkinson

Rating: 10/10

The Climb is a movie that comes around every once in a while. I am utterly shocked it did not get a wide release in theaters. I'm glad I found it, thank goodness for DVDs nowadays.

The Climb has everything you would want from a good, classic movie. It has action, drama, humor, stellar acting, and a strong message. It's the type of movie that stays with you long after you watch it.

In Baltimore 1959, Danny (Gregory Smith of TV's Everwood) dreams of climbing a tower to prove his bravery. His father Earl (Goodnight & Good luck's David Strathairn) did not enlist in the war so he is shunned by the town as the coward. Subsequently, Danny befriends Old Chuck Langer (John Hurt, in one of his finest performances) who has come home to try and find a way to die.

It is this friendship where they each learn from each other the meaning of courage. The film asks the question, what is bravery and courage and how is it defined for each man. It really gets you to think.

I was surprised how Gregory Smith was so young in this! You can really see why he became the star he is today. He is so good in this! If you are a fan of Smith like I am, you definitely have to check out The Climb.

Singer and actress Marla Sokoloff (from Whatever It Takes with James Franco and Shane West) is Smith's sister in this. She looks so different from the teen movies I watched her in. My favorite part with her is when she meets the town bully. She is awesome!!! The Climb is a movie for everyone. Kids will like watching Gregory pull hijinks and pranks with his friend. When he climbs that HIGH tower, it really gets your heart racing! John Hurt and David are at the top of their game. Each man is on a journey of defining courage for themselves.

The story has a message everyone can take something from. And those are the best movies in my opinion. I highly recommend The Climb.

thoughtful, lucid direction with oodles of gentle, good humor smartly mixed up with some pre-adolescent raucousness and nope, not even a touch of smarminess or condescension. What could be better than that?

While a little old, I've heard this movie is being released again on the 21st of August. I was lucky enough to see it the first time around and WOW, what a great film! This film chronicles the life of people in 1950's Baltimore after WWII. I have to say that it does a good job of showing what life was like back then. The acting is great and it includes many actors who have since become larger names such as Gregory Smith, the star of Everwood, and Sarah Buxton. I would recommend this movie to people of all ages. It definitely has something for everyone and is very entertaining. While not an action film, the superb acting, character development, and complex plot make this a film that will withstand the test of time. It's definitely worth hunting down or buying!

Gregory Smith is a youngster who has a goal to climb to the top of a very tall radio tower. He befriends an old man, John Hurt, whose goal is to die. Together they cooperate in order to reach their objectives. There is a subplot involving David Strathairn, the boy's father, who is perceived as a coward, because he didn't fight in World War 2. This simple story is well told, with good character development, and fine acting. This is a little beyond typical family entertainment, and more suited to adult audiences. The climactic climb is exciting, and in the end, not only are everyone's goals accomplished, but some important lessons are learned. - MERK