Wisdom
Tags: murder

Plot synopsis:
John Wisdom is a young man just out of college. on the night of his high school graduation, he got drunk and stole a car. With a grand theft auto conviction he's branded a felon and as a result can't hold down a decent job. Seeing no future for himself, Wisdom takes a left turn: he decides to becomes a criminal "for the people," evocative of Robin Hood. After seeing news reports about impoverished farmers and working class being sent to the bank to pay ownership debts, Wisdom goes on a bank robbing spree with his girlfriend, Karen Simmons; they erase loan and mortgage records, buying time for the poor to pay their debts.
With the FBI after them, things take a turn for the worse when a panicky Karen kills a local sheriff. She and Wisdom make a run for the Canada–US border, but when Karen is shot by a police helicopter, Wisdom leaves her in the care of some high school students and their teacher. He resumes his flight but is surrounded by police and federal agents at a college football field. As Wisdom appears to be reaching for his gun, he is riddled with gunfire and dies.
John wakes up where the film started, in his parents' bathroom. He emerges from the shower and proceeds to get ready for his job interview. His entire story has apparently been a daydream.

Review: I had the pleasure of being Demi Moore's stand-in and photo double for this film, after auditioning against 325 other young actresses for the "role." Normally, you don't have to audition for that crew job, but since this film was Emilio's directorial debut, he wanted to be able to look through the camera lens to "see" what he and Demi would (more or less) look like.
Emilio didn't have to do that, but it was the kind of thoughtful gesture that he showed others on a regular basis.Emilio was also well aware of the trust placed in him, being such a young man with a considerable film budget, and he was surrounded by many Hollywood veterans who were equally patient and understanding (Robert Wise, Bernie Williams, to name a few).While this may not be a true "review" of the film, I thought those of you who had written here might enjoy knowing some of the "behind the scenes" thoughts from someone who was there for the whole shoot.
I've always been attracted to films with an original idea in them, and this is that kind of flick.I like Emilio Estevez anyway, and to see him get his first chance to direct was cool.
Demi Moore turns in an enjoyable, believable performance too, as did Tom Skerritt and Veronica Cartwright.The particulars of Wisdom's methods might be a bit muddy, and the end not entirely satisfying to some, but this film is waaay more watchable than what's been out at the theaters lately.
I can still remember this film though I have seen it when I was somewhere like 14 years old.
I disagree that this movie is bad or that Emilio acted not well.
It certainly wasn't Emilio or Demi's finest work but for being the age Emilio was when he wrote and directed this movie, he didn't do that bad of a job.
As far as the critics go with this movie: In my opinion they weren't going to be kind with this movie no matter how it good it was because of Demi and Emilio's "Brat pack" status..
why is this movie not on DVD?and why when i ask if they've seen it do people look at me like i've got three heads?and why have most of the IMDb comments ripped into it?
its great!!OK its no empire strikes back or shawshank redemption but it does the job.good story,good soundtrack,demi moore,what else do you want?
i have no doubt that some pretentious English lit grad budding movie reviewer is gonna shoot me down but it ticks all my boxes,if you've not seen it check it out, good old 80's semi post brat pack action pack fun!!
23-year-old screw-up decides to "screw the system" by pulling bank heists across the Southwest--not for the money, but to destroy mortgage documents and home loan statements, thereby giving financially-strapped landowners a few months to catch up on their payments.
While a noble cause, the young man and his accomplice-girlfriend soon find this isn't exactly a profitable way to become illegal heroes; when he eventually resorts to stealing cash, his adoring public turns on him.
Clumsy and awkward directorial debut from Emilio Estevez (with help from veteran director Robert Wise), who also has the lead role and wrote the screenplay.
"Wisdom" is actually nowhere near as bad as its rep would suggest if you take it for what it is: a trashy B-movie which you should watch when you feel like laughing instead of thinking.
I actually liked the "cop out" ending because I thought it was original for a movie of this sort and did not see it coming.
I especially like it when Estevez (Wisdom) buys the Uzi, and has no idea what he's doing.
This is a great contrast to so many action flicks where the players are experts in weapons, explosives, battle tactics, etc., because they're former Special Forces guys.The supporting actors, though few are known to me, actually perform admirably, including one we know well-- Charlie Sheen.
Wisdom (1986) was a film that was written, directed, produced and starred Emilio Estevez.
In the end he bitten off more than he could chew.The film is about a young wash out who can't do anything right.
So he decides to become a sort of a modern day Robin Hood with his girlfriend/co-conspirator Demi Moore by his side.
One the other hand I have to give him a big hand for pulling this one off.Recommended for Emilio Estevez fans.Factoids: Part of the movie was filmed in my hometown of Sacramento.
Lets face it most Emilio fans will have already seen this but if by some slim chance they have not then they are in for a treat as this is up there with the best of his movies.I had never heard of this film until at work one day my boss told me about the worst video he had ever seen.It was called Wisdom and so the next time i was at the video store i hired it to see if it really was that bad.
You go through his dispare of losing the life and direction he could of had and leaves him with little option in life but to become a criminal as society has labelled him and this is what he excels in and becomes a hero and criminal for the people.Demi Moore is his unwitting partner in crime which takes you on a journey in which there is never going to be a happy ending (or is there) I must of seen this 10 times over the last 15 years and have never tired of it.Remember this is a 80s movie and with Emilio Estevez being the youngest person to ever write,produce,direct and star in a multi million dollar movie i don't think enough people give him due credit for his talents.
Emilio Estevez is a charismatic actor who has written a good story and he plays the part well.
Demi Moore is a doll in the film and I don't believe the movie takes itself too seriously, just seriously enough.
'Wisdom' is the rather mediocre directorial debut of actor Emilio Esteves who plays the outlaw twenty-three year old turned hero, Johnny Wisdom.
Only, he's not really sure what kind of criminal, so in the process of shopping for a cause, he decides to become a criminal "for the people, rather than against them." He comes to this conclusion after watching television and seeing--in those wonderful Reagan Years--numerous working people losing their jobs and the banks coming in to foreclose, especially the farmers.
Wisdom becomes a hero to the people because, instead of robbing banks, the fugitive crosses the country with his girlfriend/accomplice (Demi Moore) destroying all of the mortgage records in the banks (you'd think that after the dangerous duo became highly publicized, the banks would've taken precaution and moved their records out of the bank).
You should know how a movie like this ends if you've seen 'Falling Down,' 'Miles From Home,' 'Bonnie and Clyde' (though, they weren't really criminals for the people), or 'The Legend of Billie Jean' (though the hero in Billie Jean doesn't meet the same fate as Wisdom).The movie labors on terribly for the first half hour, trying to make hero into some sort of confused kid.
I don't know that Esteves made an effective 'Wisdom' this point because while he had that sort of innocent good guy appeal, he never really looked like the kind of guy tough enough to carry out the "mission." And, as another viewer wrote, he was just too young looking for the part and the "adventure" plays out at many points like a teenage fantasy, especially when he and his girlfriend get their pictures in the paper.
He seems like less and less of a hero as the movie progresses and more like just a naive kid (his girlfriend, too).And, while there are many moments of comedic dialog, overall the dialog is quite cheesy, sprinkled with inappropriately timed confessions of 'I love you' from the girlfriend, or pretty much most of the dialog at the end.
Esteves wrote a script that was peppered with a bit too much cheesiness (this was not his writing debut, since he wrote the screenplay to 'That Was Then, This is Now').The only real bonus to the movie is the climactic car chase in which several cop cars get rudely drilled.
Sure, this film isn't amazing, kind of in one ear out the other entertainment, but in my opinion undeserving of the worst of all time list.
Estevez character faces those couple of things plus the fact that he has a felony attached to his name after a night of mistakes a few years earlier.
So he ends up (and this is where it gets tricky when trying to explain the film's plot to people) bombing and burning loan information kept in banks.
The film also includes some excellent Danny Elfman music, an actual song at the end along with a sensitive piano score.
Overall, this flick is far from Oscar winning material, but it has some interesting ideas and should pass the time either way, as a bad or good two hours..
Young Emilio Estevez comes to the realization that he will never be a success so he decides to become a criminal, a criminal for the people.
All in all "Wisdom" is not terrible, but its ending basically takes away from the few good things about the film's first 105-minutes.
All Demi Moore does is smile, Estevez tries to play the big hero and fails.
The first scene in the flower shop with Emilio and Demi is a prime example of the pathetically juvenile nature of the dialogue, it sounds like this was something Emilio first dreamed up in junior high school (which he probably did), trying to write a script for an "outlaw" film that would also please his ultra-liberal dad.
Hint:  Watch ALL of the movie.It's a great story, very believable with some action and excellent chemistry between its' stars, Demi Moore and Estevez.
Emilio Estevez made his directorial debut with this story of young lovers on the run.
The story finds Estevez unable to get work because he stole a car in high school and has a criminal record, so fed up he decides to stick it to the man by robbing banks not of money, but by stealing loan and mortgage records to help farmers and working class folks.
Estevez and girlfriend Demi Moore go on a cross country crime spree ALA Bonnie & Clyde, with the FBI hot on their trail.
Unfortunately, the characters and story are not all that interesting or engaging, and the plot seems overly contrived, but the cast is likable, which besides Estevez and Moore includes Tom Skerritt and Veronica Cartwright and Emilio's parents (Charlie Sheen has a cameo as the manager of a burger joint).
There is a clear political agenda to the film, about the "little guy" being held down by rich and powerful interests, so I do want to comment Estevez for trying to make something beyond simple entertainment (even though it wasn't all that entertaining).
Overall, "Wisdom" is a weak film, but gets points for effort..
Emelio Estevez makes his writing and directorial debut in Wisdom, the story of a guy named John Wisdom who finds himself in sort of an early life crisis, I guess.
All can only end happily for everyone involved.But rather than become your typical bank robber, Wisdom, after brainstorming at length about the type of criminal that he aspires to be, decides he's going to be a criminal FOR the people.
Hummel said in The Rock, the situation is unacceptable.Hence we have an understandable concern about a truly troublesome situation of many people in America, but it's a weak premise for the rest of the movie, possibly because 24 year old Estevez, as Wisdom, looks like he's 16 years old in the entire movie.
Granted, his character is not meant to be much older than that, but there is a definite element of juvenile grandiose fantasy that renders much of the movie into something of a high school kid's dream of fame and a life of righteous crime.
Demi Moore, also 24 years old, plays the equally high school-ish love interest, oddly more ready to leave her boyfriend when he's in a persistent bad mood than she is when he runs out of a bank with a gun and jumps in her car and tells her to step on it with no warning or hesitation.
I'll just specify the scene where Wisdom finally is able to talk to his parents after being on the run for several days.
It literally would have made no difference if the final line had been 'Why did we even make this movie?'(spoilers) You can kind of track the progression of the writing, the ideas changing and evolving as the story develops.
You can't really root for Wisdom to run around killing people, because he's not supposed to be a bad guy and is definitely not supposed to be a killer.
So why not return fire when they shoot Karen near the end of the film after they try to steal the Mustang?
I'm sure Emilio wanted to put that in the script as well, a great way for them both to go out in a glorious hail of bullets, he probably just didn't have the budget to blow up a helicopter.
Why the cops went there in the first place I have no idea.The movie knows what it wants to do and, thematically, it sets about to do it in a straight line.
And besides that, Demi had yet to make much of an impression, which surely must have worried her since she has a 10th grade education and doesn't have a lot to fall back on besides acting, and let's face it, Emilio had a rough introduction to writing and directing.
Emilio Estevez direct his first movie here at 23, on the peek of his career.
Estevez's movie is telling you the story of John Wisdom, he have trouble finding a job and when he have one he gets fired.
OK the performances are not Oscar worthy but this isn't 2 near 50ish year old actor that have 30 years of experience, but Moore and Estevez have 23-24 !!
This is one of the best movies ever for a sad ending thwarted by the idea that what was just seen was perhaps just a dream that only lasted a few minutes in the sub-conscious mind of the star of the film.
Fantastic Thought Provoking Fantasy Film, That's Extremely Well Written And Directed By Estevez, With 2 Amazing Performances From Emilio Estevez And Demi Moore!.
All the characters are wonderful, and the story is constantly engrossing, plus Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore are simply amazing in this!.
The ending is quite sad and really leaves you thinking, and i thought Estevez and Demi had excellent chemistry together!, plus i was rooting for the 2 main characters all the way, and agreed with what they were doing for the most part!.
Critcs panned this, and i can't see why, it's a wonderful film in all aspects!, plus the looks on the faces of Wisdom's parents really got to me!.
The opening and ending narration is really cool, and i was quite shocked by some of the twists in the story!, plus a lot of moments disturbed (but in a good way) as well!.
I thought Estevez's acting was fantastic!, and i think it's incredibly underrated, plus i can't believe this only has 4.9 rating as it should be much higher in my opinion!, and to think it was all a dream!.
This is a fantastic thought provoking film, that's extremely well written and directed by Estevez, with 2 amazing performances from Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore, and i say Go see it now!.
This is a fantastic thought provoking film, that's extremely well written and directed by Estevez, with 2 amazing performances from Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore, and i say Go see it now!.
Emilio Estevez does a fantastic Job here, with wonderful camera work, awesome angles, and keeping the film at an extremely engrossing pace!.
Emilio Estevez is AMAZING as always, and is amazing here!, he is extremely likable, gives one of his best performances, had excellent chemistry with Demi Moore, i really felt for his character, and he was extremely believable as well, he was amazing!
Demi Moore is also amazing as always and is STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS!, she is fantastic in the acting department, is adorable, had excellent chemistry with Estevez, had a great lovable character and just did an amazing job!
William Allen Young is good as the FBI agent and did his job well.
There seems to be a lot of divided opinions on this portal about whether or not Wisdom is a complete waste of time or whether or not the movie is brilliant.There are a lot of comments about how the ending is a cop-out and to those I say, take a look at it one more time.
I think, although not brilliant, it is one of the more clever endings to come out of 80s movies.I think part of the reason some people don't like this movie is because they don't like Emilio Estevez and I can understand why.
That's probably the reason why he chose to star in The Mighty Ducks to kind of change his image.My rating of this movie is somewhere in the middle.
Wisdom feels he has to contribute but goes about it very, very wrongheadedly.As for Emilio's acting, I think that it's the best that he ever did, except for maybe his performance in The Breakfast Club.
Spoiler I was watching this film years back, young and unemployed.
Killing some time while I down load Black Out game from the Dawn of the Dead movie sight, and thought about reviewing this film.