The Blue Butterfly
Tags: storytelling

Plot synopsis:
Inspired by a true story, The Blue Butterfly is about ten year-old Pete Carlton (Marc Donato) who is diagnosed as terminally ill and his determined mother will stop at nothing to ensure her sons dream. Funny and intelligent, yet somewhat shy, Pete is stoic and incredibly courageous when it comes to his condition. He seeks refuge by observing the miniature world of cocoons and insects that he collects. Given only months to live, Pete has one wish; to catch the most beautiful butterfly on earth, the legendary Blue Morphothe Mariposa Azul, a magnificent creature found only in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America. He is convinced that this butterfly with the azure wings can reveal the mystery of life to him.Teresa Carlton (Pascale Bussieres) is Petes single mother. She is brave, worn out, consumed by love and sorrow for her dying son, and determined to overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of his dream. She begins by convincing Alan Osborne (William Hurt), a renowned entomologist and Petes hero, to take them to the jungle. Alan is a passionate, rugged yet vulnerable man who, due partly to a secret that haunts him, prefers the company of insects over people. He is initially dead-set against this idea. But, thanks to Petes determination, and his talent as a manipulator, his hero finally agrees to go along with the idea. However, since the Blue Morpho season is almost over, Alan will only give Pete a couple days to try to capture the magical butterfly. The Blue Butterfly is about the coming of age of a young boy and a mature man who both must learn to emerge from their protective cocoons to live life to the fullest.

Review: I didn't know what to expect from this movie and the longer I watched it the more enjoyable it became.
There is some very beautiful cinematography in this movie and even if it were not an excellent movie that alone would make it worthwhile The elusive Blue Butterfly becomes a symbol of hope and well as the source of problems.
Right to the end of the film the director never leaves you wondering but tells the story and leaves you feeling completely satisfied.
The Blue Butterfly is based on a true story about a nine year old boy dying of a brain tumor whose last request is to capture the blue butterfly for his collection.
This was a heartwarming movie that even my "Rambo'lovin husband liked.I will be buying this movie.If you do not care for the story line you will love the scenery.If you have children 6 and older they would really learn from this movie.It really shows the compassion that man can have for one another and actually restores your faith in the human race.The wildlife will really make the young ones stay entertained.Rent or buy this as much for yourself as for your children.You can be assured that this movie will not have any content that will be offensive-in fact they give you two choices-edited content for minor language or non edited.I chose non edited and it was in no way offensive..
Blue Butterfly is the best movie i have seen in the last two years.It is funny, amazing, and beautiful.
If you don't want to see it for the acting, which is EXCELLENT then go see it for the beautiful scenes of the Costa Rican jungle.This movie is proof that Canadian movies are just as good if not better than some Hollywood movies..
it features some of the best outdoor photography I've seen in any movie I'm not a fan nor like insects but this film allows you to see them much closer and makes them more interesting then i could have imagined.
its like national geographic did a love story about a miracle, with comedy thrown in and a dash of action adventure and suspense .
If you like nature films, you will definitely enjoy this as a great visual experience.William Hurt once again plays a father figure to a troubled little boy (see "Second Best" and "A.I."), and he does it very well.
Yes, this was a project that I spent much time on, but the gang that we had in Costa Rica was excellent I really applaud them I love the people here.
This film is about a 10 year old boy with a terminal brain tumor whose last wish is to catch a blue butterfly that lives in the forests of South and Central America.
I saw this movie on TV with my 8 year old son, I felt it had a lot of important things to teach him about humanity and nature: wildlife, disease, relationships, other cultures, other perceptions of reality, other lifestyles.
THE BLUE BUTTERFLY, made in 2004, is based on a true story as adapted for the screen by Pete McCormick and as directed by Léa Pool.
But THE BLUE BUTTERFLY is not a typical Hallmark-type presentation: it is based on fine acting by a varied cast gathered from Canada, the USA, and Costa Rica, it is a beautifully sculpted nature film, and it introduces a fact - that miracles do happen.
There the busy Osborne meets 10- year-old Pete Carlton (the fine young Canadian actor Marc Donato), a victim of brain cancer who is in his final month of life and who has become a devoted fan of the brilliant Osborne's books and lectures to the point that Pete wants Osborne to take him to the rain forest to capture a Blue Morpho butterfly - the Blue Morpho Butterfly (Morpho menelaus) is an iridescent blue butterfly from South American rain forests and is an insect Pete remembers Osborne as calling 'magic'.
From here the film is all located in the rain forest (here, Costa Rica as captured on film by Director of Photography Pierre Mignot who also is responsible for the extraordinarily beautiful close-up images of all manner of insects and wildlife), and with the help of a friendly village lead by Alejo (Raoul Trujillo) the group (Pete, Osborne, Teresa, Alejo and guides) sets out to find and capture the Blue Butterfly.
What follows is a journey that tests faith, shows courage and mends bruised lives: the capture of the desired butterfly and the manner it is handled is one of the little miracles of the film - the real 'miracle' is that upon return to Canada, Pete is diagnosed free of tumor!
As the movie rolled on, I knew that I was right.Only Costa Rica can show us such beauty in its country and wildlife.I had made the trip from San Jose to Torteguero Biosphere Reserve and stayed there for five days.No words can describe Costa Rica, you have to personally see its beauty to appreciate it.If you can, go and visit it and I promise you, you will be glad you took my advise.Having been to 72 different countries, I place Costa Rica as my number one place to return to.....that's why I'm going back for my third visit in the not too distant future.El Mariposa Azul (The Blue Butterfly) has done CR proud....or is it the other way round?.
A dying boys "last wish" is to find this Blue Butterfly with the aid of William Hurt, who first refuses, but later changes his mind.
the movie may not be everyone favorite if action "Clint Eastwood" style films are what you like, but it your like me who likes a story of hope, then you got the film to watch.
The Blue Butterfly tells the extraordinary story of a 10-year-old boy diagnosed as terminally ill whose dream is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth the mythic and elusive Blue Morpho.
His mother persuades a renowned entomologist (William Hurt) to take them on a trip to the Costa Rican rain forest to search for the butterfly leading to an adventure that will transform their lives.
A magical film about a courageous young boy and a jaded man who chase a dream and whose lives are forever changed.
It is a vividly colourful production & tells an intense story of a young boy dying of cancer, needing & seeking inspiration in his struggles for life, embarking on a journey that puts his illness into perspective.
It is insightful, interesting & realistic in its depictions of interpersonal relationships - mother & son, boy & the man he looks up to, flawed but invaluable expert on insects whose knowledge of nature is only a tip of the iceberg into his deeper self & how he got to this place where he finds himself, where he can help & inspire the young boy in his adversity.Contrary to other opinions expressed, as an adult, I didn't find this a kid's movie, to be dismissed by some other's opinions that this movie is 'boring'.
It was at best, ordinary.By contrast, I can understand that "The Blue Butterfly" would be especially helpful to children with cancer or other struggles with illnesses.
But beyond that, "The Blue Butterfly" is an enjoyable family movie, with something in it for child & adult alike!.
This is a movie based on a true story, so there is just so much one can do to dramatize it, you must count on acting, and even if William Hurt played well his role of an asocial entomologist, the other actors seemed to be there just for the money.
The script also lacked a certain proof of effort, while the beautiful nature scenes seemed to be put in the movie only to make it long enough.In conclusion I could watch it, although I desperately wanted to go to sleep on it, but it disappointed me.
In this movie, William Hurt is the only slightly likable character and cancer or not, nobody seems to care in the movie either.The movie is a failure, although one cannot expect too much of dramas these days.
One of Hurt's best films, with amazing cinematography.
The lad is a winged-insect collector and his fondest wish is to go to the Costa Rican rainforest and catch a "blue butterfly", like his idol, Dr. Alan (William Hurt).
Costumes, cinematography, script (based on a true story), and the skilled direction all work to make one very admirable movie.
its pretty good but then it has a few flaws, mainly acting, but still good........the photography was amazing and very very well done, the acting was kinda cheap, it was like the acting in most of these family films i guess, William Hurt was great too, but the little kid really annoyed me because he sucks at acting, and it also has a good story, and a good meaning among a few other flaws and some other things that are good about it.....so if you want to see a pretty good family film, you should check this one out.
Based on a true story, terminally ill boy Pete Carlton dreams of going to the jungle to catch the elusive Blue Morpho.
Entomologist Alan Osborn (William Hurt) is rather aloof, and resists pleads from the boy's mother (Pascale Bussières).
He relents and take them both to the jungle.William Hurt has played this closed off character many times.
There is a lot of good jungle shots and close ups of bugs.
There is a little boy with cancer who appeals to the butterfly dude to help him catch the butterfly in the jungle.
we figured that they got william hurt to act in this turkey by either paying him buckets full of money, or he wanted to go to the jungle and figured this would be a free trip, or he's part of the cult.
i don't know the cult of the healing power of the blue butterfly, or the jungle, or the big hole in the ground that they fall into.
we watched this movie imagining if the guys from south park had written it and cartman was the little kid faking his lines so he could get a free trip to the amazon.
I thought the film even with the dramatization was compelling, but unfortunately the scriptor and director forgot or ignored the end of the film by simply ending the story with a cute Voice Over, and tracking shot of the young boy running into the fade out.
It would have been good to see or read a bio of the young boy's life in 2004 as the story was written about his life in 1987.
Expect to watch a 10 year old cancer patient being piggy-backed around the jungle for two hours.I'm trying to think of something positive to say about the movie but there was really nothing- and I can usually find something good in any movie.It really felt like a made-for-TV movie rather than a feature film..
The Blue Butterfly is about a stage four cancer child who teams up with a famed naturalist to find the elusive eponymous species of butterfly which the kid dreams of seeing before its too late.
There is a good story cocooned in this movie but it never morphs into anything that can take flight..
A Film Recommended For All, Especially Kids With Cancer.
If you know of any kids who are suffering with cancer, and especially those who diagnosed as terminally ill, this would be an inspiring film for them.Meanwhile, who doesn't like looking at butterflies?
Well, this story is a lot more than that, but you might as well enjoy the fantastic insects and nature scenery of Costa Rica while going along for this ride.
This is another based-on-a-true story film, about boy dying of brain cancer getting his wish to go track down the mysterious "Blue Morpho" butterfly which supposedly brings magical powers.The film stars William Hurt and a couple of unknown actors: Marc Donato, who plays the boy, "Pete Carlton," and Pascale Bussieres as his mom, "Teresa." All three do a fine job.I really enjoyed the wildlife photography.
The story tries hard not to be sentimental, sometimes too hard and also infers near the end that the young boy was magically healed by some spirits of the jungle.
Obviously, that is what is really important.This is the real-life story of David Marenger, who is a grateful, now-healthy young man who spends his time wisely helping other kids with illnesses.
Knowing it to be a true story I wasn't expecting any massively surprising twists and indeed there weren't any, but the characters developed satisfyingly and the jungle scenes were fantastic.
I'm lucky enough to have a large cinema screen at home and watch films via a 'proper' projector, so the huge scenes outdoors with the insects and wildlife were gorgeous and it really felt like I was actually there and experiencing it for real.
But I did fast forward through the bits where he was running through the jungle with the little boy on his back because I'm a mother and that kind of thing worries me, I was just waiting for an accident LOL It had a happy ending which made a nice change - I get fed up of films that leave me feeling tearful and depressed - this one was nicely positive.
One singularly-focused child's mind, joint forces with a nature-passionate man together pursue: a blue butterfly - that's when miracles occur.
And I was lucky enough to again catch this little known William Hurt movie (a 2004 Canadian-made film) when Encore repeated its showing.
Tear-jerker, in a way, with the story about this terminally ill young boy determined to pursue the Blue Butterfly with his ideal collaborator - an entomologist he adored and believed in, for the mythical quest of a journey deep into the jungles of Costa Rica!
Yes, sounds like a Disney adventure and family drama, as the boy's single-mother also went along to provide moral if not physical support to her son's dying wish, literally.If you try to dissect the film or compare it with other movies, you're doing yourself a disfavor.
Just go along with the trio: our young hero Pete in his wheel-chair (well-portrayed with such simple ease by Canada's popular seasoned young actor, Marc Donato), his French-accent attractive Mom who stands by his wishes (she looks familiar - it's Pascale Bussières in w-d Patricia Rozema's "When Night Is Falling" 1995 Canadian production), and the passionate nature man Mr. Osborne, who does care inside though ill-at-ease on the surface with the resolute boy (another William Hurt never-disappoint performance).And what's not to like: location shooting takes you into the rain forest of Costa Rica - it does feel like going through a National Geographics sojourn - remarkable close-ups of insects, fascinating nature captures and lush landscape scenes.
The ending notation - which is no spoiler - letting the viewers know what became of the terminally ill young boy, is definitely uplifting and life affirming.
"Love you're giving you must give away" and " Make sure you risk everything" - the lyrics sure ring true in this film.) Unobtrusive music (integral native rhythms, too) by Stephen Endelman, exquisite (nature) sound design by Ivan Sharrock and visual effects supervised by Gunnar Hansen all enhance the film experience."The Blue Butterfly" is a movie worth watching.
It's also available on DVD, which included fascinating bonus features (from 10 to 18 minutes variety): there's interview with the real life 'Pete' - David Marenger, story about young David and the real 'Osborne' - French entomologist Georges Brossard of 'Fondateur Insectarium De Montreal'.
See "Mariposa Azul: A True Story" with executive producer Francine Allaire, "The True Inspiration" and "About A Butterfly Garden" with David, and "The Actors' Experience" with Bussières, Donato, Hurt (he explained why he liked the dream sequence idea, and his observations of Georges) on their portrayals and on set anecdotes, including venturous Georges (who showed and told us about the 'big' bugs!), of course..
William Hurt is professor Alan Osborne, insect-ologist, who in one presentation had said that the butterfly the Blue Morpho was the most beautiful thing, with almost magical powers.Young Marc Donato plays Pete Carlton who has had surgery to remove a tumor in his skull, but the doctors have declared he has only a few months to live.
He takes his comments about the Blue Morpho seriously.Pascale Bussières plays Teresa Carlton, Pete's mother.
One day at a dedication ceremony they approach Alan and ask him to help a dying boy fulfill his dream of seeing and catching a Blue Morpho in Central America.
But something happens to take Alan to the boy's bedroom, he sees all the insects and posters, and guess where they all end up?
In the movie the scientist and the boy never catch a Blue Morpho.
Maybe the Blue Morpho really had magical powers.(PS - I am aware that insect-ologist is not the correct term, it just sounds better!!).
The Blue Butterfly is 'inspired by a true story.' The true story involves a young boy apparently ill with terminal cancer, who goes to the South American jungle with a renowned entomologist in search of a blue butterfly.
When they return, the boy's cancer has disappeared.The facts of the true story are dramatic and emotional moving.
But that is just what the filmmakers do.I'm guessing, but my feeling is that what we see in the movie that is not in the original story is: (1) The scientist did not have a long-lost daughter (2) There was no romantic connection between the boy's Mum and the scientist (2) No little villager girl actually connected with the boy, or caught the blue butterfly (4) The scientist did not fall down a hole, forcing the boy to make his own way through the jungle.A boy goes to the jungle and comes back cured of cancer - but the story is deemed not 'dramatic' enough by the idiots who pose as story experts in Hollywood.