Simon Birch tells a wonderful story of friendship between two boys. What I like about this film is a mix of comedy, seriousness and emotion. Most of the film is focused on Simon and Joe Wenteworth. They are very close friends and will do whatever it will take for one another. Although in the film the other kids can tease Simon, Joe sees him as his best friend. It goes to show that friends will be friends despite what condition he has.
When I first saw the opening I thought this wasn't going to be a good movie. Anyway, as soon as the comedy started I was hooked. Normally I don't like films set in the 1960s but this was an exception. As the film progressed it got more serious and in-depth. It sort of makes you realise that relationships can be very fun and emotional at times.
The main idea of the film is to get the audience to realise many aspects. One of those being friendship and the other being the cope of loss. Whilst Simon grew up to parents that didn't really care about him (due to his condition), Joe on the hand grew up with his mother who loved him to bits and wanted to only have him as her child. Joe doesn't know who his father is but gets along perfectly well later when Ben Goodrich falls in love with his mother. Well, eventually he does anyway.
When Joe's mother dies (due to baseball hitting her temple) he gets really upset and only has his grandmother and Ben to look after him. The problem is that Simon was the one who finally was allowed to swing the baseball bat. When the hit was made people were astonished. The ball went so far - in fact too far having hitting Joe's mother on the head. From then on, the film gets really sad. Simon seems to believe it was God that caused this and that he has a plan for everyone. Joe doesn't seem to appreciate his faith and gets angry at him.
Joe's mother told nobody who his father was and now she is dead how will he know? Simon believes that whoever took the baseball that killed Joe's mother is the father but finding him will prove difficult and very emotional.
Let me just say that this is the only film I seem to watch over and over again every so often. It is such a classic for me. Anyone looking for a great sense of comedy, emotion and loves coming-of-age should not look past this one.
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