One of the best films i have seen

Absolutely Fantastic

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

*******Seven Out Of Ten Stars*******The true star of this show, Conrad Bain, died this past January in the year of 2013. In my humble opinion, Bain really held this show together through the years. He was the only cast member to appear in all 180 episodes. And Bain always offered what I thought were the best comedic one liners in the series; and clearly was the most polished actor of anyone that ever appeared on the show. Other highlights of the show included the seemingly unending supply of guest stars: Reggie Jackson, Dorothy Hamill, Nancy Regan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Captain Lou Albano, Muhammad Ali, Milton Berle, and of course, Mr. T. Pretty incredible stuff. Also worth mentioning, is much of the social commentary the writers often tried to weave into the scripts; it didn't always work, but when it was did, it was really touching. Some of the episodes dealt with some pretty adult serious issues: Robbery, sexual abuse, racism, sexism.... it was progressive writing for the time. "Different Strokes" has a special place in my mind and in my heart. So God rest Plato, Coleman, and Bain.

' Diff'rent Strokes ' is undoubtedly a sitcom classic, one of those hugely popular television shows that is still adored by millions of fans throughout the world today. Through regular reruns a whole new generation is being introduced to the antics of the Park Avenue bunch, a bunch who so entertainingly captivated us all during the show's initial screening between 1978-86.The family friendly series made a star out of Gary Coleman, forever immortalised as the loveable scamp with the chubby cheeks, Arnold Jackson, and his catchphrase "Whatchu Talkin' About?" made television history. Yet despite it's cosy sitcom settings, ' Diff'rent Strokes ' was not afraid to address sensitive issues and during it's long run expertly dealt with the likes of racial prejudice, child molestation and bullying.Conrad Bain, a distinguished actor who had earlier appeared in tv's ' Maude ' played Trans-Allied tycoon Phillip Drummond, the kindly widower who adopted the Jackson kids from Harlem, Arnold and Willis ( Todd Bridges ), after their death of their mother Lucy who had served as his housekeeper. The kids had to adjust to living in a swank Park Avenue penthouse with a new housekeeper ( initially Charlotte Rae as Edna Garrett, spun off into her own sitcom, ' The Facts Of Life ') and a teenage sister ( Dana Plato ) - cue plenty of comical misadventures!Bain, Coleman, Bridges and Plato were a formidable team and you cannot help but warm to their likeable characters. They were wonderfully supported by the likes of Rae, the late Nedra Volz ( so funny in the 1985 movie ' Moving Violations ' ) and Mary Jo Catlett as housekeepers Edna Garrett, Adelaide Brubaker and Pearl Gallagher.Once ' Diff'rent Strokes ' ended the young cast were unable to escape the pressures of fame and their various scrapes with the law somewhat tarnished the show's image. The lovely Dana Plato for one sadly passed away in 1999 due to a suspected drugs overdose.2003 will mark the 25th Anniversary of ' Diff'rent Strokes ' and I would hope that a reunion of sorts is on the cards. And wouldn't it be intriguing if Gary Coleman stepped into the shoes of an adult Arnold Jackson, perhaps as the new head of Trans-Allied in a spin-off series?

It's hard to believe, but 2003 marks 25 years since Gary Coleman asked Willis what he was talking about.Norman Lear, who broke a lot of ground heretofore with All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, and Good Times, continued his magic touch with Diff'rent Strokes. A 25th anniversary marathon on any given television station would be a great way to remember this show, notwithstanding that Miss Dana Plato is no longer of this earth.This show made Gary Coleman Gary Coleman, and he truly made the show what it was.

"Diff'rent Strokes" ranks among a handful of masterpieces that have made their debuts on American television. So powerful and three-dimensional are its characters that it puts lesser works such as the over-bloated mini-series "Roots" to shame. "Strokes" hit the airwaves like a bombshell back in 1978; most of its viewers had yet to see the harsh realities of the ghetto depicted on the small screen. Before their eyes, they noticed two hard-edged African-American street urchins in a highly competitive game of basketball (these scenes were no doubt a key influence on the works of future African-American filmmakers Spike Lee and the Hughes Brothers). This no doubt awoke white America to the grittier, more nihilistic aspects of the urban community. If that wasn't reality enough, the children are taken aback by the presence of wealthy WASP Mr. Drummond(who despite such class and ethnic differences is miraculously able to relate to the youngsters without resorting to urban slang). In an act of great compassion, he hugs them and decides to save them from depravity in a modern-day Dante's Inferno. The threesome soon rejoice as they enter Drummond's slick limo and take off. Because of his frail demeanor, Mr. D is barely able to wave his driver off yet does so out of desperation. This is a terrific character quirk that genius actor Conrad Bain brings to such a complex role.Had "Strokes" simply stayed on this route, it would've remained a TV classic. However, nothing prepared audiences for the ground-breaking episode in which pedophilia, of all topics, was presented in such harsh detail. Actor Gordon Jump blew away all his previous achievements ("WKRP", Maytag commercials) with his remarkable performance as a seemingly benign old man with a dark, dark secret. I won't spoil it for you here, but the reaction of the child's father is one of the most heartwrenching and subtle displays of Method acting in recent memory. A great episode, and one indicative of this landmark series' finest moments.