Supported by a background of an all star cast, the unexperienced child actors pull through fine

Rating: 8/10 (17 August 2002)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was not a perfect film, but is probably the BEST family movie ever and a very entertaining movie all around.
When Chris Columbus decided to make this movie, there were extreme challenges and risks ahead of him. He would need to keep the movie faithful to the book, but would have to cut some stuff out. He would have to get a cast to that looked like the characters in the book since the characters are so vividly described. He had a lot of trouble trying to find the right kids and thousands auditioned.
What do we get for a cast? Well, we get Danielle Radcliffe as famous Harry Potter, Emma Watson as the know-it-all, Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as the red headed Ronald (Ron) Weasley, and Tom Felton as the enemy, Draco Malfoy. What do all four of these actors have in common? They are very unexperienced actors. Danielle Radcliffe had done Oliver Twist, Emma Watson hadn't done anything, Rupert Grint was once in a play, and Tom Felton hadn't done anything. The best out of them was Danielle. The worst was Emma Watson (which still, she did a good job). So the main actors that Chris got, he did an excellent job.
Yet, the background cast is so awesome. Consisting of critically acclaimed actors, Richard Harris as the 150+ year old Albus Dumbledore, Alan Rickman as the hook nosed, evil Professor Severus Snape, Maggie Smith as strict Professor Minerva McGonnogall, Monty Python's John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick, Warwick Davies as the goblin in the bank and midget Professor Flitwick, and Robbie Coltrane as gentle giant, Rubeus Hagrid (Hagrid). Such an awesome cast to help the children actors.
Now, what does Chris do to the story? Well, it begins very good with Hagrid, Dumbledore, and McGonnagall dropping Harryoff at the Dursleys' and zooming forth a years to when Harry is 11. It begins good but they don't develop the characters too well. They add some things I didn't like.

Either way, it's a good movie.