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Simon Birch
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Simon Birch (1998) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   10,388 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Writers (WGA):
Mark Steven Johnson (screenplay)
John Irving (novel) (suggestion)
Contact:
View company contact information for Simon Birch on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 September 1998 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
Destiny has big plans for little Simon Birch.
Plot:
A young boy with stunted growth is convinced that God has a great purpose for him. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
3 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
Strathairn by the truckload
 (From ioncinema. 3 February 2006)

Add 'em And The Antz
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 6 October 1998)

User Comments:
A fluid, graceful success-- enjoyable and uplifting more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Ian Michael Smith ... Simon Birch

Joseph Mazzello ... Joe Wenteworth

Ashley Judd ... Rebecca Wenteworth

Oliver Platt ... Ben Goodrich

David Strathairn ... Rev. Russell

Dana Ivey ... Grandmother Wenteworth
Beatrice Winde ... Hilde Grove
Jan Hooks ... Miss Leavey
Cecilley Carroll ... Marjorie

Sumela Kay ... Ann (as Sumela-Rose Keramidopulos)
Sam Morton ... Stuart

Jim Carrey ... Adult Joe Wenteworth
John Mazzello ... Simon Wenteworth
Holly Dennison ... Mrs. Birch
Peter MacNeill ... Mr. Birch
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
A Prayer for Owen Meany (USA) (working title)
A Small Miracle (USA) (working title)
Angels and Armadillos
more
MPAA:
Rated PG for language, emotional thematic elements, and an accident scene.
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Filming Locations:
Elora, Ontario, Canada more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This makes the second movie that David Strathairn and Joseph Mazzello have portrayed father and son, the first being The River Wild (1994). more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the reverend is outside speaking to the Sunday school teacher before the Christmas play, he has a ring on in one scene but not the next. more
Quotes:
Simon: Ahh! It's a horse! more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "HBO First Look: The Making of 'The Mexican' (#8.1)" (2001) more
Soundtrack:
For Your Love more

FAQ

What did John Irving think of Simon Birch?
more
22 out of 24 people found the following comment useful:-
A fluid, graceful success-- enjoyable and uplifting, 3 September 1999
10/10
Author: bopdog from Cardiff, Wales

Fantastic movie! I had avoided this one in the theaters last Fall because of the theme. Consider this movie in light of the other "suffering child" movie that came out around the same time, "Patch Adams." Bless those "Patch" folks, they really tried, but that movie was dense, depressing, and the characters were tedious if implausible. "Simon Birch," however, succeeded in every sense. It evoked the late 1950's and early 1960's very well. Not just the look of an American small town, but the vibe of the folks, especially the adults, rang very true for me (I was there, same age as the Joe character). The movie itself was wonderful to look at, and easy to lose one's self within.

The other key aspect of the movie was title character, Simon. When I first saw the previews for this, I thought that it could be good, but it could also be awkward and painful to watch. There is a place for painful and awkward movies, I suppose, but most often I choose to avoid them. When I rented the DVD of "Simon Birch," I was willing to watch, but was still expecting it to be somewhat of an ordeal, like taking bitter medicine. I was so surprised! It does convey the considerable pain of the characters' circumstances, yet it is also a story that is fluid with grace and tremendous joy. I was touched, and I was also happy and uplifted. The entire cast was stellar, especially the young boys who played Simon and Joe. Everyone was awesome. What an accomplishment! I gave it a 10.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Simon Birch (1998)
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This has probably been said before... detectivedancing
Well, since most of us cried......... brandie_2007
To all those who love the book but bash the movie... wht-fang
The Jim Carry 1 minute disaster exden
'God's Instrument' laideeh-a
Significance of the deer... kitten5135
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