Finding Forrester

Hollywood loves to hate the writer, for without him it is nothing.

The writer hates to love Hollywood, for it is Hollywood that often provides the beach house in Malibu, the dinners at Spago, the trips to faraway lands to do (winkwinknodnodknowwhatImean) research.

Now in this never-ending battle the writer believes he wins with seven-figure paychecks and awards for efforts done.

But Hollywood, following the time-worn adage, knows it win: Revenge is a dish best served cold:

By way of hired guns they often, with Machiavellian ease, portray the writer in less-than flattering light: A romantic drunk, pill-popping, whoring sort who has moments of genius, but who ultimately dies alone, broke, ruined, crushed by his own hand and ego.

A portrayal, incidentally, which goes once more to explain the love-hate relationship between the (screen)writer and Hollywood.

It also goes to explain films and movies the likes of "Finding Forrester".

"Finding Forrester" is about a man--William Forrester (Sean Connery)--who, once upon a time, wrote a novel--a good novel--and writes no more. Now he lives as a recluse, afraid to leave his own apartment. He watches the world as writers do--at arm's length. But he does this in the extreme: Keeping watch on his Bronx neighborhood by using binoculars to engage in voyeuristic tendencies.

In doing this he attracts the attention of some black teenagers playing ball on a court nearby, and, well, as Hollywood fare such as this film tends to, leads to the turning point in the life of Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown).

Jamal, predictably, is a brilliant student. But his environ has kept him from doing anything with his brilliance: In school he hides his intelligence because black students are not allowed to be so. Basketball, one teacher observes. Is where it is at for him.

One night, though, on a dare, he finds and enters Forrester's apartment, is startled by the writer there, and begins, through this, a relationship.

A love-hate relationship, if you will:

Jamal has someone to mentor him in his writing and the writer has someone to appreciate him and his efforts literary.

The director of "Finding Forrester" is Gus Van Sant, who previously directed "Good Will Hunting". The credited screenwriter is Mike Rich. There are, as one might expect, similarities to "Good Will Hunting". But there are also differences: Connery's character carries more weight than, say, Robin Williams' did. "Good Will Hunting" came across as something unique. "Finding Forrester", owing to hype preceeding it, comes across as a certain recycle. Which is unfortunate, because "Finding Forrester" could have done something films and movies about (screen)writers have not done before: Shown them as they are, reacting to a world that at once embraces and discards them.

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