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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Too much unresolved emoting, but thought provoking drama., May 15, 2005
If you're a fan of Wil Wheaton, this is one of his biggest, best roles. It's a drama about 5 prep boys debating weather to join up after Pearl Harbor. The whole thing takes place during one night, December 8th 1941. Wheaton is taking a pacifist position, putting his best friendship with a patriot at risk. These boys seem to have a new emotional crisis in every scene, and unfortunately that makes their competent acting seem a bit over the top, and about halfway through the film it loses it's effect. However, you'll probably like December if you liked all of the following movies, even if it isn't as good as any of them: Stand By Me, Toy Soldiers, Dead Poet's Society, and The Emperor's Club. Of course they never do resolve who is right, or even tell what happens to any of them in the war; but they raise thought-provoking issues, such as can friendship survive diametric positions of patirot vs. pacifist.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not everyone went to War on December 7,1941, June 20, 2007
This review is from: December [VHS] (VHS Tape)
DECEMBER is a fairly straightforward look at five New Hampshire Prep school chums who on a single night have to make a decision that for some is as easy as pie and for others is as terrifying as can be.Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor.The date is December 7,!941.Within minutes boys and men all over the U.S altered all of their plans for life and immediately entered the War effort (or so it is often portrayed!!!). DECEMBER takes a different approach; not everyone is gung-ho. DECEMBER examines how each boy feels about their prospects and motivations for entering WW2.
The problem with DECEMBER is that it is so centered on being a character study that it comes off more like a play for the stage.( Frankly, I think this film would have made a TERRIFIC stage play!). As a film, though, it is extremely claustrophobic, taking place in a dorm room, and the dialogue gets rather stale and tedious. In fact, I was squirming due to the lack of anything riveting to propel ANY action forward.What DECEMBER, though, does do well is to present the fact that not everyone in 1941 America was ready to drop everything to be a "hero." This, in itself, was refeshing enough to stand one viewing.
NOTE: the ONLY thing that DECEMBER has in common with DEAD POET'S SOCIETY or THE EMPEROR'S CLUB or HISTORY BOY'S is that it is filmed at a Prep School!!!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
December, December 22, 2011
I thought this was a great movie. I liked how it portrayed the feelings of each young man in his decision to join in the war, or not. Although I went to school with the director, I am not biased. Gabriel has always been a very talented story teller with a fabulous imagination. It would be an honor to have this movie in my collection. As far as language goes, it's pretty mild in comparison to many other movies out there. I'm sure that male students during this era used this language. It's not like swearing is anything new.
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