the audience applauded

Sadly Over-hyped

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I have a couple of nits to pick with Paper Clips. As commendable as the actions of the students and teachers were, the movie was simply not very interesting. I would have preferred that the film at least try to challenge the viewers, considering the complexities of modern race matters.Instead, we receive a brief introduction to what the school set out to do, and then we are treated with 45 minutes of teary eyed commemorative speeches and dedication ceremonies. The movie feels like 10% journey and 90% destination celebration.Also, the movie is described as an experiment about the Holocaust, leading to a miracle. There wasn't really any experiment (more of a project), and what happened was hardly a miracle. What was achieved was the product of hard work, dedication, and perseverance of all involved. Calling it a miracle actually cheapens their work.

Inasmuch as I believe that stories like this should be told, I tend to agree with other "negative" reviewers in saying that this should be considered more of a congratulatory promotional video for the Paper Clips project than a "documentary." This one could have been a 22-minute TV special and covered everything adequately.This movie tells of the outpouring of support and affection a small town in Tennessee gets after they receive national coverage of their project to collect 6 million paper clips to see "what 6 million looks like." They receive an outpouring of national and international letters and eventually the project becomes even bigger than they had ever expected.While it has its slow parts, my chief complaint was that the syrupy violin music which permeated the *entire* movie (I kid you not) began to feel, ah, just a LITTLE manipulative. If you want to cry your eyes out both because of the tenderness and sadness of the disgrace that was the Holocaust, in addition to the fact that "these simple southern kids, man, these kids are honoring them ... sniff" then this is a movie for you.The characters 1-dimensional, the kids are all positive, the teachers are reformed bigots, the holocaust survivors stories are touching and moving, and everyone is just so bloody positive about the whole thing.If you're looking for anything hinting at controversy, the biggest is - (drum fill) Southern kids aren't all complete racists. Wow.I suppose the greatest failure of the movie is that it truly leaves absolutely no room to actually have the viewer make up their own mind about anything... this would be a much more powerful piece if it provided any sort of counter-point to the constant smiley-faces, and actually challenged the viewer to use a brain cell.Instead, it's a tear-jerking, overtly manipulative story which leaves little room for nuance.

I was living in Memphis, TN in 2001, when I first heard about this project, and I really wanted to help. I soon found out that they were well beyond their initial goal, so I just looked forward to hearing more about the project and how it turned out. Since then I have become an educator and a much more dedicated Jew. I am more impressed today with the work that small town did than I have ever been. I remember being skeptical -- could collecting a bunch of paper clips really teach any one about these horrors? But the educators and the community made sure that the kids learned something as they were counting paper clips. The letters they received couldn't help but hit home. We saw these children go from sheltered, backwoods kids to educated people of the world. They know more about what people can do to one another than most of the grown ups around them. These teachers have educated an entire generation and their offspring, and they have done it in a manner that will actually have a life-long effect on them. They accidentally educated generations, and that is what teaching is supposed to be.

This should be required viewing for all students from middle school through high school. An excellent documentary - educational, moving, and inspiring. A must-see, not only for students, but for all. The story of the paper clip project itself is fascinating but the effect it had on the people of this small town and the world is what really makes the movie interesting. The personal stories of the people who contributed to the project are extremely moving, particularly the Holocaust survivors who visited the town to tell their stories to the students in person. This is one of the most moving movies I have ever seen, and despite the haunting nature of the subject content, is very uplifting and hopeful. A wonderful documentary.