An Impactful, Thought Provoking Classic

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2014)

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is considered by many as one of the greatest and most life changing films of all time, and for good reason. This classic film has left a lasting impact on audiences for several decades, and will continue to do so for several more decades. But what is it about this movie that makes it so special? The answer to this question lies in the memorable characters and thought provoking story.
The characters of "To Kill a Mockingbird" are some of the most beloved characters in the history of cinema. Gregory Peck gives an incredible Oscar winning performance as Atticus Finch, a lawyer who decides to defend an African American man he believes to be unjustly charged with a crime due to racial prejudice. Atticus Finch has been called the "Greatest Movie Hero of All Time" by the American Film Institute, and it is obvious why. Atticus not only makes a stand against discrimination at a time when racism was common, but he is arguably the greatest father figure in movie history as well. This is Peck's most iconic role of his career and he pulls it off brilliantly.
The same can be said about the performances of both Mary Bedham and Phillip Alford as Scout and Jem Finch, Atticus' children. These two actors gave some of the best and most believable performances I have ever seen from child actors. When watching the film, I did not see child actors playing roles, I saw real children because of the way Bedham and Alford encompassed the mannerisms and speech you see from real children. This adds so much to the film as a majority of the story is presented to the audience from the perspective of Scout Finch. And Robert Duvall's performance? Talk about a performance that leaves an impact!
What I personally love about "To Kill A Mockingbird" is that while the film does tackle the issue of racism, it offers so much more. Any film can throw a simplistic "Racism is bad" message at an audience, but "To Kill a Mockingbird" decides to show an innocent and naive child's perspective of her father's stand against prejudice and the intense opposition it brings. The audience grows and learns alongside Scout as she watches Atticus hold firm to what he believes in, despite the fact that many of his peers hate him for it.
The pure and real relationship Atticus has with both of his children adds so much to the film as well. A specific scene in which Atticus is tucking Scout in is one of the most intimate and believable scenes between a parent and a child I have ever seen on film. I could have sworn Gregory Peck was Mary Bedham's actual father because of how amazing their chemistry was. Yeah, it is that good.
"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a timeless classic that absolutely must be seen by everyone at some point in their lives. No film has ever made such an impact on me on such a personal level. That combined with excellent film making is why "To Kill a Mockingbird" is my favorite film of all time.