Customer Reviews

Wide Awake

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You know when you catch a late night movie on a film channel and it hooks you on, then you keep watching it, laugh, cry and just purely enjoy it and feel good that you flicked on the channel at the right time? This is one of those movies.

I am not sure why some reviewers lament that it's a pretentious theme. Sure, it's not anything that'd be seen rocking boxoffice records or winning grand prizes, it even has some necessary contrivances. But it moved me, impelled me to think, and impressed me with a number of brilliant moments that are sensitive and engaging without becoming cloying.

Shyamalan is now a familiar name, so I approached his debut effort with high expectations, and while it could be sappy in bits for some people, I'm guilty of having clung on until the very last shot. The writing is taut and the production values are all-round immaculate. I was not disappointed one bit!

If you have kids, this is a fantastic movie to watch because of the sweet yet universal messages it couches. Plus, the kids in the movie are not freckled 10-year old brats, they have thoughts deeper than what you and I give them credit for.

The script is by no stretch of imagination an overly ambitious one, but I highly recommend this underrated gem for its thoughtful dialogue and crisp direction.

I saw this film in the theatre when it was released and immediately urged friends and family to see it as well. It was one of those films that you can't stop thinking of for days. The cast was incomparable and the story line so touching. Anyone who can remember back to our innocent ideas of life when we are young will relate to this movie. But especially those who have dealt with such a loss, searched for answers and found the disapointment of what doesn't make sense at the moment but eventually leads to a greater realization at the end. An excellent film, for any age at any time.

It is a surprise to me that young Joseph Cross has not gone on to greater things as a hollywood actor. In this film he once again puts the adults to shame with his natural acting skills as he did in the film Jack Frost (1998). But now Joseph is getting back into acting in the American TV show "The O'keefes" in 2002/2003 and I hope that he may do another movie as an eigteen year old to see how his acting skills hav developed since he was ten years old. The film looks at the transaction from boy to man or girl to woman and how hard it is for kids to make that move. With issues such as death and the dissapearence of that "magic" as Josephs character Joshua describes it during the movie. From a world of creativity and unrestricted boudaries to just seeing the plastic and paint in a toy car. Th film also raises the issue of how we should allow children to handle the death of a loved one as Joshua has to manage when his grandpa dies of bone marrow cancer. It is shown that we shouldn't hide the facts of death from our childrebut discuss it openly and allow them to say their final goodbyes by allowing them t attend the funeral insead of keeping them away as I personally was as a child. In all this is a great movie with realism, humour and overall brilliant acting. Strongly recommended.

I have seen many movies but none like this one. Wide Awake presents you with a slice of someones life so realistic and true. It tells of the innocence of a ten year old boy trying to come to terms with the death of his beloved grandfather. He even tries to find God to make sure his grandfather is alright. The show has the right combination of laughter and tears and the ability to warm your heart and remind you of your own childhood. Joseph Cross is very impressive and carries his character extremely well. Do yourself a favour, watch this movie and you will 'see' with your heart. The cast of this movie simply compliment each other by potraying a flawless picture of the life around Joshua A. Beal (Joseph Cross) A word of caution, watch this movie once and you'll watch it again and again!

What a perfectly beautiful movie for all ages! I have many VHS & DVD movies, but NOTHING has touched me as much as "Wide Awake". I constantly recommend it to others & have never heard anyone disappointed from having watched it.

I have seen this movie at least 6 times now since it's release on video September 15, 1998. I'm excited and frustrated and confused. Like many of you I think this movie has the potential to be a classic like "It's a Wonderful Life" and I want to buy it and share it with all that I know. But I'm confused why Miramax would make such a great movie with a great cast and not promote it and release it to theaters? And now that it has been out on video for over a year, why will they not make it affordable and widely available for purchase?

Back to the movie. There are many great messages for us to take with us from this movie. But one message that got me is this. If you earnestly seek to find God, your life WILL be changed!

If anyone has any ideas to WAKE UP Miramax to bring down the price and make it available at retail stores, let me know.

"Wide Awake" is a pleasant surprise, indeed. This is a film that grapples with mature themes, predominantly crisises of faith, not often seen in a major film production. The main thread to this film involves a 10 year-old boy, Joshua Beal(Joseph Cross) who is grieving the loss of his grandfather(Robert Loggia) and is seeking answers from his peers and his adult associations. M. Night Shyamalan has proven in his subsequent work that he is an expert director of children and this film is no exception. Cross feels like a genuine child grappling with feelings unknown beforehand and not some Hollywood stereotype of what a 10 year-old boy is. The adults in the film are strong archetypes and not buffoons as a lot of them are in films centered around children. Shyamalan should go back to this film as a reference point in good filmmaking. I have contended for years that as great a film as "The Sixth Sense" was it was a blessing and a curse because since then he has been trying to catch lightning in a bottle. This film demonstrates that great movies start with great stories. On a note of trivia, the blue Phillies cap that Rosie O'Donnell wears in the film was used by the team in 1994 during day games. The cap was dropped by the team because the players thought it was bad luck because they lost all but one game in which they wore it.

This is one of those films that you will pass right by. I did, for months; the film was in my libray's DVD collection and I gave it nary a glance.

Until I realized who the director was.

M. Night Shyamalan has quickly become one of my favorite writer/directors. His films have deep religious themes of faith, hope, and redemption. Unlike 95% of Hollywood fare - in which film is hung on nothing (thematically empty) - Shyamalan's work uses the ghost story, the comic book superhero, and alien visitation ("The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable", "Signs") as frameworks for his message of redemtpion - his search for God.

So, after finding that "Wide Awake" is the Shymalan film that immediately preceeded "The Sixth Sense", I watched it. I honestly must say I was not expecting much, just some faltering steps by a young filmmaker on the rise.

But, I was very pleasantly surprised by the depth and maturity of this film! Shymalan understands that the most profound themes are communicated through the smallest events. This film abounds with cherished meaning, those bright mileposts on the road of childhood that point to maturity.

Young Joshua's search for God is successful, but not in the way he expected.

This film, despite a somewhat silly encounter in the very last scene, is a triumph of understatement and beauty. It is a tender gem that will more than likely remain hidden in the stacks.

I hope you discover it, like we have, and will cherish it forever.

The last 30 minutes is all I saw of this movie the first time(via Showtime). Like others have reviewed, I had to see it again, the whole thing! This amazing work is destined to become a classic- and not just as a children's movie. The inner life of this small boy is rich and faceted. Joshua confronts difficult life questions with all of his resources, finds answers, and develops CHARACTER which is not something that is shown or encouraged by movies today. All ages and angels will enjoy the hilarious pranks and heart-warming comaraderie. We will never see ten-year olds quite the same. Watch with your kids or see it alone, Mom and Dad, but make sure you See it! Share it. Leave it with the baby sitter next time you go out!

I saw "Wide Awake" on TV once and fell in love with it. This movie is so heartwarming and touching that I nearly cried at the end (and I'm not the kind of person who crys easily when it comes to movies!) The whole cast does a fantastic job-you couldn't have asked for a better cast-and it's just one of the best movies I've ever seen. If you don't believe me then go to your local video store and rent it. I can gaurentee that you'll love this movie! The only bad thing about this movie is that I had never even heard about it until I watched the "Air Bud" video, 'cause the "Air Bud" video had a preview for "Wide Awake". I don't even remember it playing at the movies!