'TERRI': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
Another teen misfit story, this one is about a heavyset fifteen year old having trouble fitting in at school who befriends his goofy principal. The kid, Terri, is played by Jacob Wysocki and the odd principal is played by John C. Reilly (who's perfectly cast). It was directed by Azazel Jacobs and written by Jacobs and Patrick Dewitt. The film is funny, relatable at times and strange. It's a little distant when it attempts to reach out to the viewer on an emotional level but for the most part it works.
Terri is 15 years old, depressed and living with his Uncle James (Creed Bratton of 'THE OFFICE' fame), who has Alzheimer's disease, and takes care of him. He's constantly picked on at school for being overweight and has begun wearing pajamas to school. He's also began showing up late to school consistently and gotten in to trouble with his teachers. His principal, Mr. Fitzgerald, starts bringing him in to morning counseling sessions he has with misfits at school. Terri and his principal bond and a strong relationship begins to build.
The movie does a good job of depicting high school life for outsiders and presents them in a relatable and kind way, causing any viewer with a heart to feel sorry for them, but beyond that it's kind of lacking much emotional depth. Terri is relatable but we never see him grow much or figure things out, other than his friendship with his principal. Reilly is great as the weird and lovable principal and Wysocki is adequate enough in the lead but beyond their friendship the movie doesn't really deliver much. There are some strange encounters (involving drugs, alcohol and some sexual activity) with another outcast at school (Bridger Zadina) and a female student (Olivia Crocicchia) who shows some interest in Terri but the movie doesn't do anything more with their characters. It works as a buddy film though and a high school misfit film, to a certain degree, it just seems like they could have further fleshed some good ideas out.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rje99p8QSz8
Another teen misfit story, this one is about a heavyset fifteen year old having trouble fitting in at school who befriends his goofy principal. The kid, Terri, is played by Jacob Wysocki and the odd principal is played by John C. Reilly (who's perfectly cast). It was directed by Azazel Jacobs and written by Jacobs and Patrick Dewitt. The film is funny, relatable at times and strange. It's a little distant when it attempts to reach out to the viewer on an emotional level but for the most part it works.
Terri is 15 years old, depressed and living with his Uncle James (Creed Bratton of 'THE OFFICE' fame), who has Alzheimer's disease, and takes care of him. He's constantly picked on at school for being overweight and has begun wearing pajamas to school. He's also began showing up late to school consistently and gotten in to trouble with his teachers. His principal, Mr. Fitzgerald, starts bringing him in to morning counseling sessions he has with misfits at school. Terri and his principal bond and a strong relationship begins to build.
The movie does a good job of depicting high school life for outsiders and presents them in a relatable and kind way, causing any viewer with a heart to feel sorry for them, but beyond that it's kind of lacking much emotional depth. Terri is relatable but we never see him grow much or figure things out, other than his friendship with his principal. Reilly is great as the weird and lovable principal and Wysocki is adequate enough in the lead but beyond their friendship the movie doesn't really deliver much. There are some strange encounters (involving drugs, alcohol and some sexual activity) with another outcast at school (Bridger Zadina) and a female student (Olivia Crocicchia) who shows some interest in Terri but the movie doesn't do anything more with their characters. It works as a buddy film though and a high school misfit film, to a certain degree, it just seems like they could have further fleshed some good ideas out.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rje99p8QSz8