Customer Reviews

Project Greenlight's Stolen Summer: Movie

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was the script that won the "Project Greenlight" contest. First-time writer/director Pete Jones was given the opportunity to give us a tale about family and faith. And it all takes place in Chicago. I admit, I was a little worried at first, and was even a little doubtful of the movie being any good. There were a lot of things that went wrong for Pete and the crew during the filming of this movie. I guess they only showed us what went wrong because there must've been a lot of things that went right that we didn't get to see. Because "Stolen Summer" is a wonderful film that's filled with humor and heart.

The movie is about Pete O'Malley, a young boy in an Irish-Catholic family. He's worried that he isn't going to Heaven and wants to find a way to assure God that he's worthy. He gets the idea of converting the Jewish so they can go to Heaven. He meets Rabbi Jacobson, who finds Pete's Quest to be creative and caring, despite his religious beliefs. That is when Pete meets and befriends Rabbi Jacobson's son, Danny. Pete wants to convert Danny in hopes that they will both make it to heaven. It is a very emotional and sincere movie that plays on all of your emotions.

I'm not a very religious person, I admit, but I found the movie to be very creative and entertaining. The script does take risks, but the overall product is presented to us in a way that we can't help but smile and even laugh at times. As the movie progresses, we learn it isn't just about religious differences, it's about the friendship of two boys trying to make sense of the world around them.

The acting was really superb, especially from the two boys. They did a really great job in the film. The cast also includes Aidan Quinn, Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Pollak, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Brian Dennehy. Aidan does an awesome job playing Pete's father, who can be quite humorous in his ignorance at times. He can be forceful, but caring at the same time. Bonnie Hunt also fills the film with light as the mother. Kevin Pollak is great as the Rabbi, who can show us his humorous and serious side. Everybody did their roles justice.

Pete Jones does a really great job, being that this is his first film. Remember, this is a man who has never had any prior experience in film, or at least none that I have heard of. Sure, there were some mistakes, but then again, what film DOESN'T have mistakes?

I really enjoyed listening to the commentary, which was done by the director, co-producer and producer Chris Moore. It was funny and informative. They even point out some of the mistakes that happen during the film. (If they had kept their mouths shut, I probably would've never noticed any of them!) I usually don't listen to commentary, but after seeing the "Project Greenlight" series, it was almost like I had to listen to it. I'm glad I did.

Overall, "Stolen Summer" is a terrific film. Pete Jones and the rest of the crew should be proud of themselves. You don't have to be very religious to enjoy this movie, so don't let make you think you will not like it. DO NOT BUY THE MOVIE ITSELF IF YOU PLAN TO GET THE SERIES! The series already includes the full length movie with all of the special features that are included on this DVD. One of the better movies to come out of 2002, if you ask me. It may not be perfect, but it's still a heart-warming gem. A great film for the whole family.

A touching and thought provoking film. It makes me sad that producer Chris Moore is ashamed of this film. Or one might think he is. I mean if you saw the last season of "Project Greenlight" he doesn't speak highly of this first film produced by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and himself for season one of HBO's Project Greenlight. Perhaps Mr. Moore bases his feelings on how much money the movie made, which was very little. I think we all know that there are countless movies out there that bombed at the box office, but prove to be wonderful and meaningful motion pictures. I liked "Stolen Summer" because it asked questions we all have. It features a first rate cast including Aidan Quinn, Kevin Pollak, Eddie Kaye Thomas & Bonnie Hunt. I would have liked to see more of Bonnie Hunt, she is an absolute delight on screen. Check her out in larger roles like "Return to Me" & "Only You" also. The story revolves around an 8 year old Catholic boy who is on a quest to get a younger friend (a Jewish boy) into heaven. ~A great film, good for family viewing if you can get the younger kiddies to take the deep subject matter seriously.

American films deal with all aspects of every day life: work, school, marriage, family, divorce, adolescence, sexuality, crime, alcoholism, drugs, disease, death - the range of subjects is virtually endless. Yet if you were to look to films to get some sense of what defines American culture, you would never know that religion played any kind of role at all in the lives of the common, ordinary citizen. Spirituality seems to be the one aspect of life that never gets acknowledged even by the most incisive of filmmakers. Of course, we do occasionally run across the serial killer who claims to be doing "the Lord's work" as he's butchering his victims, or the diabolical Catholic Church hierarchy plotting the deaths of hundreds to maintain its nefarious hold on its riches and power, or the sleazy evangelist who is out there bilking millions out of their life savings in exchange for a phony one way ticket to eternal glory. But we almost never see just plain garden-variety folks who go to church, value their faith and try to make their religion an intricate part of their workaday lives. Why is that?

Well, "Stolen Summer" is that rare American film which actually acknowledges that religion plays a key role in many people's lives. It's Chicago, 1976, and 8-year old Pete O'Malley, fearful of going to hell, is on a quest to assure his place in heaven by converting neighborhood Jews to the Christian faith. As part of his effort, he enlists the aid of a local rabbi who, admiring Pete's honesty and willingness to seek for Truth, agrees to let the boy set up a lemonade-cum-salvation stand outside his temple. The film deals with a wide array of characters, including members of Pete's family as well as the rabbi's, who have varying reactions to both Pete's stated goal and the burgeoning friendship between Pete and the rabbi's own son.

"Stolen Summer" is not afraid to confront the sectarian nature of religion that is often used as a means of dividing people of faith rather than bringing them together. Moreover, by viewing the world through the unfiltered eyes of these two innocent young boys, writer/director Pete Jones points up the empty ritualism that often defines how we adults choose to practice our faith. Pete and Danny, by cutting through the layers of nonsense and getting to the simple heart of the matter, force many of the grownups in the film to re-evaluate their own beliefs and practices.

It's also nice to see a family in a film that, although it has problems, is not thoroughly angst-ridden and dysfunctional. The O'Malley's are an intact Irish Catholic family whose eight children are a clear testament to the couple's adherence to papal decrees on birth control. In an excellent, multi-layered performance, Aidan Quinn plays Pete's father, Joe, a hard-working fireman who is proud of his ethnic roots and who feels that the most important role for a man in this world is to take care of his family. Yet, Joe has problems of his own. For one thing, he has an excessive sense of pride that prevents him from wanting his children to have a better life than the one he has made for them. He believes that his college-aged son should be content to work as a dutiful civil servant rather than pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. Moreover, Joe obviously fears what he doesn't know or understand and this comes out in subtle flashes of anti-Semitism, which put him in direct conflict with the rabbi and even his own son at times. Joe is, in many ways, the most interesting character in the film mainly because Jones is careful not to peg him as either a total hero or total villain. Bonnie Hunt and Kevin Pollack offer strong support as Joe's levelheaded wife and the open-minded rabbi, respectively. And young Adiel Stein scores big time as the centerpiece of the film, little Pete O'Malley. Stein conveys an upbeat childlike innocence that is infectious without becoming cutesy or cloying. He is utterly believable as a young boy coming-of-age in a suburban home in the 1970's.

"Stolen Summer," because it deals gently with its people and its subject matter, may strike some as a bit too mild in tone, a bit too lacking in grit to be worth very much. And, in a sense, they may be right. The film does sometimes come off a bit like one of those "good for you" After School Specials designed to deliver an upbeat, heartwarming message about the goodness of mankind without unduly upsetting anyone in the audience. And the movie does feel a bit contrived at times, more concerned with wringing tears or teaching a lesson than it is in capturing life in its rawest form for all of us to see. But no matter. It's still a pleasure to see a film at least attempting to acknowledge both that people do think about religion and God from time to time in this world and that we all don't come from families torn asunder by personal trauma. Yes, one could perhaps wish for a bit more edginess at times - still, "Stolen Summer" merits praise for bringing religion back into the mainstream of American movies.

I chanced upon this movie on cable, but Stolen Summer isn't the kind of film that gets made too often nowadays -- light and cute, but balanced with a touching serious side that carries universal messages about religion, God, love, family, growing up.

The director's style is of the point-and-shoot variety, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as over-the-top visual flourishes likely would've taken our attention away from the ample dialogue. The script contains a good amount of surprises, and the character development is quite caringly done.

A word for the acting. Though the characters get gritty on occasion, the film is paced very well. Some protagonists are young (kids) but their work is impressively natural. Bonnie Hunt in particular should have merited more screen time, she works a taut but tender magic as a straight-talking mother.

If you care for meaningful cinema, I think this would make for a very worthwhile rental.

Surprising because its inherent gentleness has been overshadowed by the harsh realities of producing it. It would be better to see this movie first, THEN watch the Project Greenlight series, because the backstabbing, budgetary problems and logistical nightmares would come as a surprise, not as a dark cloud that hangs over an otherwise first-rate effort. (It seems Miramax made a an enormous error holding the release of the movie up until well after the series had aired. It should have been released at the end of the series, as the vastly inferior "Battle of Shaker Heights" was.)

There is nothing slick or Hollywood about this film, which helps the viewer focus on the story of a youngster's quest to do good and to help his dying friend get to Heaven. Kevin Pollack and Aiden Quinn give great performances, Quinn as an angry, edgy fireman and Pollack as a Rabbi dealing with more than his share of adversity. Pete Biagi's cinematography is straightforward but stylish, and Pete Jones turns in a great effort with this, his first film. It should be judged on its own merits, not as a coda to the Chris Moore/Jeff Balis/Pat Peach inter-personal dynamics that raged around it.

If you think of "Stolen Summer" as a mockery of Catholicism, then I guess this movie deserves five stars. The religiosity and works based thinking of Catholicism is amusingly portrayed. This movie supports the recent findings of the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life. Catholics scored low on their knowledge of the Bible, their knowledge of other religions, and their knowledge of their own religion.

"Stolen Summer" ends with the heretical notion that it doesn't matter whose name you call on as long as that person represents good. It would be a cute movie if salvation wasn't a critical issue.

WONDERFUL movie with sorrow, forgiveness and kindness-but most of all tolerance!! All children should see this!!!!

As a native Chicagoan, from a Sephardic Jewish background and Catholic upbringing, I couldn't have settled on a lovelier film than STOLEN SUMMER. It brought back all sorts of memories, and even though the only location that brought memories were under the el and the lakeside, it still brought warm feelings to my heart.

This is the story of the innocence and sweetness of faith: uncomplicated, full of decent, honest queries and hope beyond what any of us can remember from childhood. This movie just proves to old farts like me: it's never too late to have a happy childhood.

2nd-grader Pete O'Malley (a wonderful Adi Stein) decides he should go on a quest: find a Jew to "convert", in order to help that person get into heaven. This may seem contrived, and even anti-Semitic. It is not. It is strictly through the eyes of children, and it has lessons to teach.

Pete meanders his way to the neighborhood synagogue (I doubted this was a real synagogue and I've never seen it before), hoping to snag a wayward Jew there. He meets the kind, warmhearted Rabbi Jacobsen (a fantastic turn by the too-little-seen Kevin Pollack). A proposal: would the rabbi let Pete set up a lemonade stand, where he could offer free lemonade...and a trip to heaven? The rabbi is more than indulgent and admires Pete's conviction.

One day a raging fire turns to an explosion. Pete and his brother follow the sirens, and they find themselves at the rabbi's house which is in flames. The rabbi's little son Danny (Mike Weinberg) is trapped inside. Pete's father (the ever-more-stunning Aidan Quinn) is the fireman who saves the boy's life. The rabbi is deeply grateful, though this film does not wallow in maudlin falsehoods.

Pete and Danny become fast friends, with Pete proposing a 'decathlon' for Danny to win--if he does, Pete reasons, he must be worthy of getting into heaven. Somehow Pete has picked up the distressing idea that only Catholics get to heaven through Jesus. He figures a decathlon-winner, urged on by a person on a quest, has got to be a sure-fire winner! The only trouble is that Danny has leukemia, and seems not destined to live long.

The unfolding of this wonderful story is unbelievably deep and touching. 1st-time writer/director Pete Jones was lucky his opus one did so well. Few directors this green are this successful. The topic is difficult, and Jones might have copied three dozen movies, but he doesn't copy a single one. The humor is superb without that attempt at ill-fitting slapstick or blackness. The kids are the funniest characters, next to Bonnie Hunt (Mrs. O'Malley).

What the children have to teach the adults around them is too good for me to cross-section it for you. After all, this could have been a battle of the Jews vs. the Christians, but instead it's a home-run. Get this amazing film, learn about Project Greenlight, of which Jones is the first winner, thank Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for not being as useless as we always think they are.

After all, they gave us this fantastic, instant classic film that will never lose its message of hope, innocence and faith in the face of intolerance, bigotry and racism.

By the way, usual tag critique: what the heck is "gay" doing down there? Honestly, some people!

One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.Beautiful and so heart warming, I loved it and will show it to my grandchildren when they are at the age to be able to understand it.

This is an outstanding drama, everyday life with a family of
the Catholic- religion -coming in contact with a jewish family.
Catholic and Jewish 2 familes and how they intertwine because of
their young sons. It is happy,sad,full of emotion,love and
admiration and most important FRIENDSHIP.
A FAMILY MOVIE FOR ALL TO SEE