Summer's End

Very powerful performances by James Earl Jones and Jake Ledoux elevate this film above the average made-for-TV movie. It's worth watching just to see James Earl Jones' controlled rage on the one hand and his tenderness on the other -- it's amazing to behold. I was also impressed with the acting ability exhibited by Jake Ledoux. I hope he continues his acting career, because he has honesty and an emotional range that many current young actor "stars" should envy.

I've seen many movies lately, but this one won my heart. Summer's end brings to you the warmth of a sincere friendship between a man and a young boy, but more than that, it shows this friendship as it's seen by the boy, who is capable of anything to keep this relationship based on trust and love...

I can compare this movie to Mel Gibson's The Man Without a Face, where again we have a great movie about a friendship between a man and a boy, both overcoming all the hate that comes from the people around them.

This movie was a pleasant surprise for me. Expecting a sentimental and preachy TV movie about the evils of racism, I was given a beautifully acted and subtle movie about how racism can develop and consume people. This happened primarily through the journey of the older brother - played superbly by Brendan Fletcher (who I'm sure is destined for Hollywood stardom). His hatred for the James Earl Jones character develops from his jealousy of the relationship Jones builds with his younger brother. His jealousy makes it easy for bigots to develop racism in him. It's also fascinating to see how Jones (what a great actor he is) is also almost consumed by racism in a totally different way, as his persecution starts to make him bitter and angry to all whites (even his young friend) and even to his own family.

This is powerful stuff and the cast are all fine, including young Jake LeDoux and Wendy Crewson as the mother. The piece is also beautifully photographed, written and directed. I highly recommend this film - and look out for Brendan Fletcher!

The initial premise of the film is a little questionable. A single black doctor electing to settle in an all white neighborhood in Georgia is taking things a bit too far. But leaving that aside the acting of James Earl Ray, Brendan Fletcher, Wendy Crewson and Jake LeDoux as the little boy are worth mentioning. The story progresses in the only way it can, with all the requisite clichés that one expects to see in this genre of movie. It is beautifully shot in cozy summer colors designed to bring a warm flutter to mainly female hearts. But the fact remains that this film is just a confection wrapped up in sentimental syrup to make bigotry acceptable to the US viewer. This movie is 11 years old. America now has a black President, but Americans have still not learned anything yet. Time alone will tell whether they ever will. They like to discuss their racism in these beautiful sugar-coated easy-to-digest nuggets. This film left me cold, but after all it's made for TV... American TV. What more can you expect?

Trouble comes in the form of a retired black man, to a small lakeside community. Almost immediately he is confronted by prejudice and hate. Two local brothers then come to terms with their hatred and tolerance over the racial situation. One brother wants to learn more about the man while the other couldn't care less. The movie is narrated by one of the brothers and proudly calls the black man friend. Its interesting to see how two brothers diverge and differ in their feelings even tho they are from the same house. Their mother too has an opinion of her own and in the end the black man is invited to dinner to meet her family and hear what he has to say. Altho the black man decides he can't live in a community that is openly racial, he does decide to give it a chance. Grade C