Customer Reviews

That Was Then This Is Now [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Well,I was disappointed to say the least. I bought this movie because I had read the book with my 7th grade reading class. There was NO WAY I could show this movie to them. I knew it had a R rating but figured I would take the chance. Besides all the profanity, the movie DID NOT follow S.E. Hinton's story line. Emilio Estevez (he wrote the screen play ) defiated from it in so many ways. There are too many to list now. Even the ending was totally NOT the book. The character of Mark was played by Emilio and he "over acted" big time. I was not impressed by him. Kim Delaney is a great actress but the character of "Cathy" was NOT as protrayed in the book. The character of Bryon was by far the closest of all of the characters. Oh, and the character of Charlie....it was played by Morgan Freeman. Need I say more? This is definitely the movie that upholds the cliche'....THE BOOK IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE MOVIE!!!!!!!! I say...don't waste the [money], like I did!

This film was inspired and is partly based on the S.E. Hinton novel of the same title. However, a modicum of research will tell you that Emilio Estevez wrote the screenplay, not Hinton. Ergo, do NOT expect it to be exactly like the book. Film is one medium, literature is another. To compare them is odious and unfair to both.
Estevez and Sheffer both do a decent job in this emotional story of two young men who go from inseparable to at odds with one another as they begin to drift apart. Estevez wants everything to stay the same: hanging out, slacking off and committing petty crime. The bad boy image and ways will take them nowhere good, and the film's tension comes from Brian (Sheffer)learning this with help from his new girlfriend (Kim Delaney) and trying to leave it behind while Mark fights the idea only to end up a drug-damaged reprobate with a dismal future.

I rented this movie out of curiousity one day and thought it was great. It deals with many issues that face teens and the ending will leave you thinking.

My students had read the book so I purchased the film. It is "R" rated because there is a LOT of swearing...but it goes with the story. The acting in the fight scenes is really phony, which got the kids laughing. Also, it changes a lot of the book...but we were all glad to see it as it still pretty much followed the book.

If you are familiar with poverty, isolation and loneliness you'll relate to this film, which deals with such issues as dealing with family, peer pressure and growing past one's friends and surroundings. Watch for Morgan Freeman in a few scenes, his role as bar owner Charlie Woods revealing a certain depth and intensity.

Unfortunately Emilio Estevez's irritating presence makes every scene he is in well nigh unwatchable. And the script seems uneven, stalling every time he and his co-star had time alone on the screen. I grew tired of watching these two hang out, waiting for something to happen. Frankly the book was better...

Hi im from nz and i luv the book so much and i really want to see the movie but i cant find it any where and i want to see the movie so badly and if its as good as the book it will be my favourite movie along with the outsiders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought this DVD a few weeks back for an inflated price so I could see and own one of my favorite movies from when I was growing up. The movie is excellent and I had not seen it in 15+ yrs so i could not remember much about it when I seen it. I did realize a couple of things about the film vs book when I watched it though. WARNING Potential Spoilers

The ending had an exceptionally strong "War on Drugs in the 80's" ending, as Bryon exiled his lifelong friend over one incident with drugs. Rather than trying to reach out to him, he wrote him off like he never existed and had his butt thrown in jail. WTF? Like anyone would do that to someone they cared so much about. Also, finally, for the people who complained that Ponyboy Curtis did not make an appearance in the That Was Then, This Is Now movie like he did with the book need to open thier eyes. He is the blond haired kid at the dance hanging out with Mark. Although he has no lines, he is plain as day in the scene at the dance inside the school and out in the parking lot before, during, and after the fight Angela Shepards friend. He is wearing the bright yellow jacket...you cannot miss him.

Anyhow, this is an excellent film and any fan of SE Hinton, the Outsiders, or 1980's movies should appeciate it, if you can find a copy you are willing to pay the price for.

I love this movie, I bought this movie on vhs yrs ago(not on the net tho).I also own the book, which I've read more than 1k times. I would love to own this movie on dvd, which I'm finding is very difficult to find, on the net, as all I'm seeing is its not available anywhere. To my great disappointment.

This movie deserves its R rating. It is filled with vulgar/obscene language that was not in the book. The movie producers thus ruined a perfectly good story for young teens.

This was the last S.E. Hinton book to be made into a movie. Of course the book was better, but that goes without saying (for most films). Two very close teens, Mark, and Bryon live together with Bryon's mom. Mark's parents killed each other in a fight when Mark was a child. Bryon grows to maturity, and Mark wants to hold on to the good ol' days. Bryon gets a girlfriend and things look serious. Mark get's jealous and resentful. Mark turns to drug dealing, and deals some drugs to Bryon's girlfriend's brother, M&M. M&M loses his mind and is drugged out in a hippie type drug house. Things get heated between these two brothers, and Bryon is faced with a life changing decision. Good coming of age drama. Emilio Estevez wrote the screenplay to the Hinton book, but,unlike the other projects, she had nothing to do with the making of this movie. Morgan Freeman plays a very "cool" bartender in this movie.