Rating of
3/4
A great little coming of age tale!
MovieAddict - wrote on 03/31/12
I’ve just finished watching this film and I must say Mel Gibson’s (in his first directorial effort) performance really moved me. Here he plays Justin McLeod, a horribly scarred former teacher who lives in recluse away from the gossip of everyone because of an unfortunate incident in his past. One day he meets a troubled young boy Chuck Norstadt (introducing a youthful Nick Stahl – Terminator 3) who actually wants to go to a military school and follow in his father’s footsteps but he doesn’t have the grades to do so. Chuck solicits his help and although McLeod is rather hesitant to do so, he becomes his tutor to help him study for his exams. The two form a bit of a bond as he teaches the boy writing, art, poetry and the power of the mind to look at things in different perspective until the town’s suspicions tear apart their friendship, as McLeod's secret is revealed.
A poignant tale of two broken people who come together and learn more about themselves before proceeding along life's highway with a better sense of self!
