Moving, funny, captivating

Rating: 10/10 (28 February 2004)

This movie is a good time for all. I was surprised at how captivating it was, and how enjoyable. Great casting - good acting - great storytelling. They don't make many movies like this these days. The interweaving of fact and fiction and the resolution of fact with fiction were skillfully rendered. And the purpose of fiction vs. fact was made clear with brevity and grace. The overall storybook feel of the filming was interesting and unusual and the special effects were effective without being overly grand. The sense of personal peace and acceptance that comes from this film is a welcome change from the plethora of aggressive (and often violent) movies. When we sat down in the theater, we were seated in front of four young men (late teens, early 20's) and I thought to myself that they were not going to be satisfied by this movie. Throughout the film, it was apparent that they were liking it very much and when it was over, they began a lively discussion of their enjoyment of the movie. Gave me hope for our society!