Customer Reviews

I Am David [VHS]

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"I Am David" is a low-budget but finely crafted story of an 11 year old boy who has spent most of his short life in a Bulgarian Gulag during the horrors of the Stalin era. He escapes, with the help of his mentor Johannes, and the head officer of the forced labor camp, and is told to "Trust no one." Writer/director Paul Feig based his film on the bestseller "North to Freedom" by Anne Holm, and the script is intelligent and has sensitivity and depth. David makes his way through Greece and Italy, and into Switzerland, with the constant fear that he will be returned to the labor camp.

The cast is excellent, with Ben Tibber as the stoic and courageous David, and Joan Plowright, who adds to her lifetime of flawless performances here with the portrayal of Sophie, an artist who teaches David to trust in life and humanity. In the small but pivotal part of Johannes, Jim Caviezel is marvelous. This was filmed before he played Jesus in Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," and some other actors in "The Passion" are also in "I Am David," notably Hristo Shopov (who was Pontius Pilate) as the head officer, and Francesco De Vito (Peter) as Roberto the sailor/truck driver. Director Feig has a cameo as an American whose car runs out of gas, in one of the more humorous scenes in the film.

The DVD features are good, and include interviews with producers and actors on how the film was planned and made, deleted scenes, and interesting commentary by Feig, where he shows us just how stringent his budget was, and how he had to cut corners. Despite the financial limitations, this is an inspiring film, as well as an entertaining one. "I Am David" makes wonderful family viewing, and will give younger audiences a glimpse into the Gulags behind the Iron Curtain of the early 1950s, and how the human spirit can conquer adversity.

I just watched I am David and I loved it! This is a movie that is so full of the human spirit that you can't help but cry and be moved. This is a movie that didn't need gratuitous sex scenes, foul language and endless violence to make it amazing, just raw human emotion about a young boy who is trying to find life, and what else it has to offer than all he's know in the camp. I recommend this movie to anyone who want to watch a movie with their entire family!

One of those rare movies that keeps you on the edge of your seat with gripping suspense, yet is suitable for the whole family. Young David escapes from a Gulag at the beginning, and the story followes his perilous solo journey across Eastern Europe and Italy. The boy has been told a safe destination, but lacks the knowledge to be sure when he's in safe territory, or who he can trust. The situation reminded me of the classic "A Boy Ten Feet Tall" starring Edward G. Robinson (aka "Sammy Going South"). Without giving away too much, I'll just say the ending has a few surprises that are not disappointing.

Hard to believe some of the negative reviews of this outstanding movie. Wasn't sure if they were talking about the same film which is a moving masterpiece of a story about a boy who had a friend who cared so much for him that he gave his life that they boy might live. Jim Caviezel may not have been in many scenes but those that he was were the most important in a movie that was about selflessness instead of selfishness. I never tire of seeing this motion picture about a young boy who escapes a Soviet Gulag in Bulgaria, and, in the process discovers that there are good people in the world, especially the man who died that he might live, as shown in the one of the movies final moving scenes in an airplane. "I am David" is another one of those hidden gems. This is a must see motion picture that you will never forget. No greater love is there than to lay down your life for your fellow man, as Caviezel subsequently portrayed in Gibson's epic. Ben T. gave the finest performance for a young actor that I can ever recall with a wonderful supporting cast to particularly include the Italian family having a daughter he saved in a fire. Five stars is not enough for "I am David."

A brutal, forced-labor camp in Bulgaria in 1952 was no place for a young boy.

The postwar communist tremors still rattling Eastern Europe took thousands of lives long after the official war was over. Few even dreamed of escaping.

David did.

In Paul Feig's new film, we traverse much of Europe with 12-year-old David as he impossibly tries to make his way from Bulgaria to Denmark. Both his ultimate destination and the essence of his journey are a mystery to us and him.

"I Am David" is a sweet, touching film that finds its emotional punch in the small, tender moments.

The hungry, tired and scared David stows away on a ship, scrounges for food, is temporarily befriended by a rich Italian family, and finds a savior of sorts in an elderly woman (Joan Plowright), who likes to paint and can read David's story in his sad, serious eyes. It is based on the young-adult novel by Anne Holm, first published in 1963, and known in America as "North to Freedom."

In the crucial lead role stands young Ben Tibber, who does a marvelous job even though the filmmakers let him speak perfect King's English with a British accent despite spending much of his life behind bars in Bulgaria. Through flashbacks we see the lessons David learned from his mentor in the camp, Johannes (Jim Caviezel in a brief but effective role).

All David has known is brutality and abuse. He has been taught to trust no one. How, then, can he reconcile the beauty of forests, mountains, seas and fields of flowers? He has to learn to trust, and trust himself to feel happy.

The film could have veered too much into "After School Special" sentiment, but Tibber is such a cutie you root for him no matter what.

David's simple pleasure of stroking a cat, or getting a hug, reach out far beyond the screen. "I Am David" is a small film with a big heart.

Aside from the a young man's bravery this movie reminds about the communism. People tend to forget the history, that is why we have so many repeats. I am a Bulgarian and in 1952 I was only 4, but I could not agree more with the movie, at the same time recommend it to anyone. Anyone who cherishes the freedom the way it should be cherished.

A finer film has not been created in years. Several years. I watched this and immediately decided to show it to my children (ages 8 and 10), and to my amazement, they got the message. They have it SO good, and they saw that children all over the world are not nearly as fortunate as they are. They understood that there have been countless other children just like "David" who have been abandoned by the world. It's a tear-jerker for sure, but it does so much more than just stir emotions... it can change a person's perspective. Something so many films ought to aspire to. Cinema as it should be. Bravo.

A movie earns a high rating when it causes you to react emotionally with simple, realistic human character traits played by the characters. This movie exceeds these requirements. Seeing the movie from the boy's perspective is refreshing. You will feel like you are in this boy's shoes. Jim Caviezel's character demonstrates the love of Christ by sacrificing his life for his friend. There is no greater love than that. The movie is great entertainment for the whole family. A movie like this will teach younger members positive life lessons without viewing direct violence or objectional material. This movie is a tear-jerker though. The provides hope in a sad situation. I don't buy movies, but I am adding this one to my small collection.

It is an authentic "tear jerker" from start to finish. Masterful. Fast moving.

The old lady in Switzerland and Jim Caviezel's character deserve an Academy Award for best human beings.

The kid played the part impeccably, except for the distinctly British accent which sort of upsets me every year around April 19th!

I have to admit that both the title and subject matter of this film led me to expect that I might, at best, be bored, and, at worst, fall asleep during this movie. How wrong I was!

Everything about this film was outstanding. The cinematography, acting, music...everything! As I watched the story unfold of this 12-year-old boy's escape from a post-World War II Bulgarian work camp and journey through several European countries, I became more and more drawn into wanting him to succeed in his unclear quest of reaching Denmark.

The rest of the attentive audience and I laughed at some of David's adventures along his journey, and suffered with him when new challenges arose. Several times during the film I thought to myself that I was feeling much of the same compelling compassion for David that I felt upon viewing, "The Passion of the Christ."

If you liked the movie, "Pay It Forward," you will love, "I Am David." It is a movie that all but the youngest viewers in your family will enjoy. See it soon! When the DVD comes out...BUY IT!

Oh, one last thing.....be sure to have your tissues ready at the end. I cried at the end of "Pay It Forward" and during "The Passion." If you are a human being with one ounce of compassion in your body, you too will cry...but "cry for happy" at the end of one of the best movies I have seen in a long, long time..."I Am David."