Second Best (1994)

Crappy film

As Good As It Gets

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Blistering performances.

This film was not exactly what I expected, although to tell the truth not even I know for sure what I was expecting from it. The idea is interesting: a middle-aged man named Graham (portrayed by William Hurt) who gets interested in a boy named James and decides to adopt him. However, their relationship is very turbulent. The boy often has sudden fury attacks, which (as you can guess and understand) takes Graham to despair. Even when the boy finally begins to get along well with him, there comes a time when he suddenly changes again... although later the boy demonstrates that he's human by hugging Graham when he cries. The ending is apparently happy - they seem to end up together.The film's got some good moments when Graham and Jamie get along fine and is also a nice attempt on this very difficult relationship. It has some gorgeous cinematography as well, thanks to the magnificent sunsets and the nature sceneries.William Hurt's acting as Graham is good, perhaps his best performance on pair with his Professor Hobby in 'A.I.: Artificial Intelligence'. A very cute Nathan Yapp portrays well a young James (as Jimmy) and Chris Cleary Miles portrays well the disturbed James some years older.

If you have a sense of love within you, this movie is for you. There are few things as sad as loneliness. And few things as heart wrenching as seeing it overcome.This film provides both. though it was not a huge success in the theater, (this film was gravely underrated), it is a wonderful story. A bond of trust and love between child and adult, forged in the pain and fear of emptiness. If you missed it in the theater, take the time to find it, and watch it at home.I can only hope that a long awaited DVD release is near at hand. there are too many movies with 'created' story lines. This one is as real as it comes. If only there were more like it...... An Update... Here in 2012, this has still not been released on DVD. What a shame. I watched it on Laser Disc yesterday, and it is such a wonderful film. Someone missed the boat on the DVD release. Sad...

Second best is a touching and moving masterpiece directed by Chris Menges . The plot reminded me of another great British movie – "Dear Frankie ".I guess it is that father – son relationship that makes movies like these two so special. The loyalty of the son both in the characters of Jimmy played by Nathan Yapp and Graham Holt (William Hurt) is touching and I am not ashamed to admit that there were moments of this movie which truly brought tears to my eyes.One other reviewer wrote: "Chris Cleary Miles' apparently initial screen performance as the troubled youth is near amazing." And I just couldn't agree more with that – the acting of Chris Cleary Miles, William Hurt and for that matter all the other actors in this movie is first class – their gestures, the words they say , the way they say them – you just have to watch it to experience the movie – because that is what you are going to get an unforgettable experience.The flashbacks moments (the memories of the little Jimmy) were very careful chosen and I felt really weird watching them , knowing that there is something more hidden out there– this feeling stayed with me until the final scenes in which these flashbacks became more revealing … There is also a lot of symbolism is Second Best –the scene in which the boy looks at the man who wants to adopt him trough a broken window is just one example and if you watch it more than once you will sure notice many other symbols – the letter, the scars ... etc You just couldn't watch the movie without noticing how much the music contributes to it – piano or guitars, it fits the scenes really good - making the emotional impact they have on the viewer's powerful and overwhelming.

I rarely write reviews for movies. And having seen the other excellent reviews, mine is hardly needed. But I stumbled across this movie and felt I had to comment on it.This is an excellent movie with wonderful acting, directing, writing, screen play, and filming. I saw the last 2/3 of the movie by accident and could not tear myself away from it.William Hurt and the boy actor (sorry - forgot the name) are thrown together by life's accidents and develop bonds for one another. The rough edges on each character are worn smooth as each accommodates the other and learns of the other's trials and humanity. The acting is superb and rarely gets in the way of the content - more to the point, the acting complements the story well.But what makes the movie special is the character development. The writing, directing, and screen play successfully convey the existential experiences of the actors as they develop and react to one another.A good song, a good poem, a good book - are made special if they are accessible - if they evoke within you the ring of truth and personal history. This movie communicated with me extremely well on a personal basis, on many plans at the same time. Every element of this film was well crafted. The movie is cerebral and touching - with very few rough edges. I couldn't recommend it more highly for an adult audience.