Why so much hype?

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The first must-see film of the year.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I like the characters and I feel a lot for them. It's nice how the main characters treat Zachary like how a person should be treated instead of being treated like a freak show like everyone else in the town. I was really sad when Cal's brother died in the army and I was sad when Toby thought that he wouldn't see his mother again and that he thought his dad didn't try hard enough. I was really annoyed at how the blonde girl talked. The reason why I gave this a five is because if the end. In the end, Toby and Cal try to get Zachary baptized before social services take him away so that he can join his mother in heaven when he dies. That is all that the ending. I didn't finish the ending because I think that it is stupid and way religious. I think that it's odd that a movie like this one made such a big change like that.

My Boss and I have started exchanging DVD's at work and we are not teenagers or children ....we are extremely mature adults, meaning in their 50's and 60's. Since we work an overnight shift...and our adult lives are very depressing with family and financial problems...we look for movies that are light, fun, meaningful, entertaining and hopefully even....sleep producing. We need to lay down, and let something entertain us while we think of nothing terribly earth shattering and nerve jarring. This is one of the movies she loaned to me. I looked at the title and said...."what on earth is this?"...so put it aside. Today I plugged it in and was pleasantly entertained. I did not, of course, read the book, or ever hear about it. I found it enjoyable and as a retired teacher, I thought.....this would be a movie you could play in school during a restful activity period. It had a message, it was acted according to the audience it was addressing......it was like real life small southern town reality and on the level of the youngsters it was designed for. It touched on many aspects of life that might impact children the age of the characters in this film. This is a worthy family film.

I went to the October 10th premiere of the movie in Austin with my two sons. We had been waiting for what seemed an eternity for it to finally be released. It still isn't, but at least we got to see it.The movie is very good. There are several changes from the book, most obvious being the modern setting instead of the 1970s. That change didn't hurt the story in any way. Another noticeable change in my opinion was the shifting of emphasis on the subplots. Don't get me wrong, they were all there. Some were simply less important or more important in the movie than they were in the book. Once again, that didn't seem to hurt the story.The movie was well cast. The important characters were very nicely realized. The children in the movie are a very talented group. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of Cal.I would like to see the movie again in a regular movie theater. There were moments when the picture got a little blurry, but I honestly believe that it was the projector at the Paramount. You could see that someone was trying to keep it focused. Just the same, the actual camera work on the movie was awesome. Everything has a vitality of realism that made me feel like I was standing there watching the story unfold.My favorite scene of the movie was when Toby's anger over Cal's brother's death, Zachary Beaver's heartbreak at feeling he has been blown off by his new friends, and the funeral were all woven together. I sat in my seat sobbing with the characters. It was so very well filmed. I never cry at movies. This one got me.I hope this film gets a distributor. I want to see it again.

I thought this movie was very entertaining, in the spirit of "Stand By Me" but more life-affirming.The movie was well cast. In particular I thought the characters of Cal and Scarlett were well portrayed.I also enjoyed the "small town" feel. (It was filmed in Granger, Texas.) If you read the book, the movie is a little different, (It's a modern setting, and the cafe is not in a bowling alley.) but the spirit of the book is intact.