Finding Forrester

Gus Van Sant found a very profitable, critic-friendly story to tell in the excellent Good Will Hunting and it is hard to understand why he and the studio decided to tell it again in Finding Forrester. Our protagonist (Matt Damon/Rob Brown) is buried in obscurity until found by an academic (Stellen Skarsgaard/unknown) and with the help of an outside tutor (Robin Williams/Sean Connery), finds his way to (at least the potential for) a successful life. Very Hollywood but done well both times. Matt Damon, the lead in Good Will Hunting, has a small role at the end in this one. GWH had a few more artistic touches (such as the Ben and Casey Affleck roles) and FF more closely hews to the Studio Rules.

not recommended