Post by StevePulaski on Sept 14, 2011 16:47:07 GMT -5
Angus and his crush.
Rating: ★★★★
Once in a blue moon comes a film like Angus. A film where the protagonist is an overweight outcast, but still does things that are considered "cool" like football. Angus, played by Charlie Talbert who was found by the director at a Lake Forest Wendy's, is nominated king of his Freshman dance as a joke and the queen is his crush played by Ariana Richards.
Angus spends most of the movie getting in shape for the dance with his crush, while listening to his grandpa, who is about to be married for the second time, preach his philosophy of "screw 'em" and just be himself. Everything about Angus comes in a natural, believable format leaving nothing far-fetched.
High School is a rough time in a person's life, and anyone can tell you they've been picked on, ridiculed, felt inferior or self-conscious, etc. Angus is a kid who has heard it all, but is motivated by his best friend and the girl of his dreams in arm's reach. It's an underdog story, but told in such a different and irresistible way it's hard to forget it.
Angus earns the tears it brings by just being itself - a story of a fat kid's struggle to fit in. It's marketed as a comedy, but it's a semi-heavy drama with some comedic elements. But the comedic elements aren't as persistent or often enough to call this film a comedy-drama. It's just a drama film. Plain and simple.
For a newcomer, Charlie Talbert delivers mighty fine acting skills, and it's a true shame he didn't go on to portray more charismatic characters like Angus. The supporting cast of Kathy Bates, Chris Owen, and George C. Scott work nothing but wonders in the acting and script field, and you may just find yourself shedding tears in the middle and at the end of the film.
Adding the spice of one of the best speeches in a High School film yet at the end, Angus is a nonstop roller-coaster that is surely one of the most underrated, forgotten films out there now. Only two years ago did this film become available to own on a Warner Archive manufactured Dvd-R along with a slue of other films the company fears won't sell well on a regular Dvd. The tagline of this film should be "hard to find, tough to beat."
Starring: Charlie Talbert, George C. Scott, Kathy Bates, Chris Owen, Ariana Richards, James Van Der Beek, and Rita Moreno. Directed by: Patrick Read Johnson.