Avec les félicitations du jury

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.

Joe Pesci brings the best out of this film. The plot is OK, but Pesci, as the eccentric (yet downtrodden) bum Simon Wilder, keeps it together. He is funny, heartwarming and good at what he does- and that is acting. Brendan Frasier is also good as the college harvard who find Simon and makes the plot go around. Usually funny, usually sad, OK in my book (if I have such a book). A

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

I don't know why this movie is classified under "comedy"... It's one of the most serious and thoughtful movies I've seen in a while. The plot twists were unpredictable, for me at least, and although it didn't have a "happy" ending, it was very well done.

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.