Did you people see the same film I saw?

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This movie is excellent, Students in school could learn a lot and it would teach them what bulling and being down right mean can do to a person. spreading ugly rumors about a person In this movie a teacher who had great skills to teach and the students who loved him. Saying that he was gay, or in the movie a homo. Just because he never remarried after his wife died. No facts, just someone wanting to hurt a person. Being the person in school that was bullied, and beat up, by students I can relate to this movie totally. One never knows about the hidden talent another person has. As shown in the talent show in the movie. This movie is a real eye opener to people who bully, and are just down right mean to other people. wonderful movie. I totally enjoyed it.

"That's what I am" (2011 DVD), writer, singer, whatever you want to be, favored English teacher Mr. Simon (Ed Harris) encourages 1965 students in their dreams. He pairs our Grade 8 narrator Andy (Chase Ellison) with Big G. (Alexander Walters), ginger, big-eared, for their big project. Stanley stands a foot taller than all, defends his fellow geeks, especially his best friend, the smallest student Norman (Daniel Yelsky), with dignity against the bullies. Andy learns tolerance, compassion, and resolve while pursuing his crush, the womanly ideal Mary (Mia Rose Frampton). Adults are drawn as individuals, larger than stereotypes: kind mother (Molly Parker), computer-literate father (Daniel Roebuck), concerned principal (Amy Madigan) who begs Mr. Simon to deny career-crushing rumor from a bully's parents.

When I saw this I didn't read anything about it. All I knew was that it was made by WWE and Randy Orton was in it. Obviously I jumped to conclusions and thought this movie was about fighting/wrestling. Another pointless movie. I was so surprised just watching the first 15 minutes. This movie is an eye opener. So much heart is in this movie. I fell in love with every one in it. Stanley "Big G" The big ginger smart guy that takes crap from everyone but doesn't let it get him down. Andy the kinda popular kid that has ended up befriending Stanley. The homosexual teacher who everyone loves. How the children don't judge him even though they are new to the whole sexuality. Mr Simon is the main homosexual teacher who is someone that would make the perfect teacher. Every school should have a teacher like him. He has respect for the pupils and the pupils respect him. And I loved him in the movie. He made the movie =) This movie is for everyone. People get bullied everyday. It gets worse everyday. All schools should show this to their pupils as it has a great message and kids could actually learn something from it. I give this movie a solid 9/10 A proper family film that everyone would enjoy =D

This film received a very positive review in the LA times so I rented it on Netflix where it can be seen well before it is released for sale. I have worked in education for over 40 years, so I particularly watch for films about school and teaching. I found this film to be more like an after-school special at first, with shades of Wonder Years, and was finding it too childish, as no middle schoolers used terms like "cooties" in the 60's. (More like 2nd graders maybe). But then the film turned more serious, and dealt with bullying and rumors of the teacher possibly being homosexual because he has been single for a long time, a notion fed by one of the bullies parents. One reviewer at this site decried that Ed Harris as the teacher should have resigned more in protest rather than quietly leave to visit his sister. But in the 60's, the society wasn't as tolerant of gays as today, and it would have seemed more wishful thinking than reality. The final 45 minutes were far better than the first scenes, and left me feeling I had seen a pretty good movie, albeit overly nostalgic and more like a TV movie. Still, I give it a 7, and think it is a worthwhile family film, especially for upper elementary and early secondary kids to watch with or without their parents. Ed Harris is very believable in his role, as is Chase Ellison and some of the other kids, who, unlike in most films about kids, actually looked about the age they were playing, instead of 3 or 4 years older.