I found this movie very moving and well worth watching. Incredibly well executed by a first time director. Don't miss it!

It's rare that a film like this comes along. Sometimes, they slip right by, and if you're lucky you get the chance to see them. This is one such film.Even after four years of it's debut, I'd never seen the film, and only remembered seeing one preview for it, before it came out on video. I recently had the opportunity to see it, and wasn't hesitant to watch it, but I assumed it would be worse than I'd anticipated, given the summary I read on this website. I was completely, and pleasantly wrong. This film touches you in so many ways, that it's hard to even find the words for how wonderful it really is. Throughout the whole movie, you are given opportunities of laughter, sadness and thought. The film circles around a nine year old boy, growing up in the 1950s, in a Catholic home with nine other siblings. His sweet and sympathetic mother, and limited to a high school diploma father, raise him and his brothers and sisters, with the faith that the church encourages. After being bullied somewhat, by one of the nuns at his all boys Catholic school, he decides in order to make her like him more, he will try to convert someone to Catholicsism, before the summer ends.He decides to make a free lemonade stand in front of a Jewish Synagauge, in order to tell people about Christ, and how they can get into heaven for "free". He befriends the Rabbi of the Synagauge (Pollak), and soon learns that his son has leukemia. From then on, he decides he will help convert the little boy, before he grows any sicker.It's an amazing movie, that will leave you feeling good, and secure. It has it's moments of tears, but the majority of the film is laughter, and thoughtfulness. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, regardless of religion, or ethnicity, it's a film that everyone will enjoy, and I don't think anyone could honestly be offended by it. I loved it, and hope to see it again in the future.

one of the biggest worries early on that various miramax execs and the producers for the project greenlight series, was that if they were to pick pete jones' stolen summer screenplay, that they would end up making an after-school special. well, their worries came true. the script is saccharin, occasionally salvaged by the worthy acting of bonnie hunt, aidan quinn and kevin pollack. but the rest fall too close to a television special on simplistic religious philosophies. the dialogue was much too unbelievable, as predicted by co- producer matt damon early in the series.now the series, on the other hand, is chock-full of interesting and revealing anecdotes about the perils and glories of film-making. it reveals so much of the struggle and backstage political fighting that goes into making a movie. with the knowledge gained from the greenlight series, it's a wonder that great movies (especially low-budget indie ones) are made. this series is a superb look at all the work involved in making a movie. highly recommended for anyone aspiring to work in the movie business.

After watching the Project Greenlight series on HBO, I was really hoping that Pete Jones would pull it off and make an good movie. But the result of Ben Affleck & Matt Damon's media stunt is less the admirable. The problem is not with Pete's directing. Okay, it's rather bland, but it is not destructive to the film. What ruins it is Jones's childish screenplay. It's just so cliched it's almost unbearable. The dialogue is TV movie level, and Jones beats around the bush when it comes to the Religious stuff. He asks questions we've all heard before, and either doesn't answer them at all or provides a blow off answer. Also, not that I care (I'm an atheist), Jones seems to be a little too harsh on Jewish faith. Some scenes were borderline anti-semite. The child also actors were also terrible. As if the screenplay wasn't bad enough, we have to hear it repeated with no emotion by two blank faced kids. The film does however feature good performances from the rest of the cast. Aidan Quinn and Bonnie Hunt are given nothing of substance to work with, but like the pros they are, they handle what they have with grace and quality. Kevin Pollack's character was probably the only decently written character in the movie, and Jones was dead right to cast him. He is truly the exceptional element in this production. Some of his finest work.If you watched the docu-series, I'd recomend checking this out just to see what the result is. But don't expect any more than some good supporting actors.4/10* / * * * *