I Am David (2003)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Paul Feig

Writers (WGA):

Anne Holm (novel)
Paul Feig (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 November 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Believe in the power to change your destiny

Plot:

I Am David is adapted from Anne Holm's internationally acclaimed novel North to Freedom. It is the story of a 12-year-old boy...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Compass | Bread | Denmark | Switzerland

Awards:

8 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ben Tibber	...	David
James Caviezel	...	Johannes (as Jim Caviezel)
Joan Plowright	...	Sophie
Hristo Shopov	...	The Man
Silvia De Santis	...	Elsa
Paco Reconti	...	Giovanni
Roberto Attias	...	Baker
Francesco De Vito	...	Roberto
Paul Feig	...	American Man
Lucy Russell	...	American Woman
Maria Bonnevie	...	David's Mother
Viola Carinci	...	Maria
Marin Jivkov	...	Cecha
Robert Syulev	...	Angelo
Alessandro Sperduti	...	Carlo

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements and violent content.

Runtime:

90 min | Turkey:84 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Ontario) | Iceland:LH | Malaysia:U | USA:PG (certificate #39701) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-3 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Company:

Walden Media

Trivia:

Stewart Copeland, drummer for rock band "The Police", composed the original soundtrack for the film. For inspiration, Copeland immersed himself in Eastern European Gypsy and folk music.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Maria shows David a globe, David asks her to show him Denmark. The camera focuses on Denmark, then traces down the globe to Italy. Though antique in appearance, modern country names on the globe (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia) shows it dates at least from 1993.

Quotes:

David's Mother: [David's memory] I love you, David.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Bavna Melodija I Raeenica

A courageous journey...

Does an actor have to be a Laurence Olivier or a Robert De Niro to be a so-called 'great' actor? Not necessarily. Consider young Ben Tibber, who portrays the central character of this film, I Am David. Ben does more acting, often without saying a word, than I have noticed in a film for a long while. All throughout the film, the mood of the scene is set just by the expression on his face, especially his eyes, and he can change it in an instant. I watched this young actor in total amazement. We follow David on his solo journey of escape from a brutal communist labor camp to a land very vague in his mind, Denmark. There are many beautiful scenes of colorful villages and towns, fields of sunflowers and sweeping vistas of the hills and valleys that we share with David, in sharp contrast to the horrifying memories of life in the labor camp, that haunts him. Those that helped him escape gave him one primary rule: don't trust anyone! As David travels along the roads to his destiny he meets many characters along the way and we wonder, will he, or should he, trust this person? As the viewer, we desperately want somebody to comfort and assist this wonderful boy. The veteran actress, Joan Plowright, splendidly portrays one of those characters that David encounters; but can he confide in her to help him on his way? The director and screenwriter, Paul Feig, doesn't rush the story, although it does move very quickly at the end. Mostly, he lets us observe David as the boy wisely and carefully analyzes each situation as it develops. The end of the film wraps up nicely with a very surprising and interesting revelation of the storyline. I watched this film at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis and had great expectations upon going in to see it. I was not disappointed. I Am David, is an outstanding film.