burgerman93

This movie has such a natural cadence, it's not over the top or pushy at all. It's a beautiful story about love, friendship, grief, and inclusion. The script is air tight and leaves no room for error - it's truly a masterpiece in its own right.

The writers take a simple premise (a young man moving to a new school after the passing of his father) to a new level. After a scuffle with a school bully, Jax is given the option between suspension or volunteering at the after school buddy program. Naturally, Jax picks the club and meets a student named Charlie. The strongest part is how Charlie (who has Down Syndrome) and Jax (who is known for his athleticism) can relate to one another and yet also learn from each other.

It's a gentile and entertaining movie that allows the characters to speak for themselves, instead of relying on an agenda. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There's really no deep meaning or artistic quality to it. It chronicles the struggle of a young girl who lacks self confidence, is in the process of becoming a lifeguard, and works a menial job at the same nursing home where her mom works. All the while she has budding feelings for her older swimming instructor. I found it to be a dull story (if there really is a story).

The scenes became repetitive and dry. Although the main actress draws you in, the other characters are poorly written and underdeveloped.

Us millennials hold the original animated version near and dear to our hearts. I was a nine year old when I went to see the movie with my parents, and appreciated the music, warmth, cultural aspect, and simplistic messaging (as it pertained to Ohana).

I don't recommend this to people who grew up on the original movie. However, it is at least well acted and suitable for families. I liked seeing the close relationship and rivalry between Lilo and Nani, the odd couple dynamic between Pleaky and Jumba, and how actress Amy Hill brought a bit of snarky humor to her role as Tutu.

The transitions were pretty bad and there were a lot of scenes that went by too quickly. I also don't feel the writers captured what Hawaii is all about- it seemed that too much detail went into the special effects or destruction as opposed to focusing on what the characters say or do. It needed a bit more heart to counteract the crude hijinks.

So while it's forgettable and not a great substitute for the original film, there's a few small moments that had me smile. In that regard, I was okay with it.