Flowers For Algernon Review

Flowers for Algernon is one of the most unique books in circulation today. In some schools it is a book everyone reads for English, and it should be. Providing a hopeful rebirth of a man who was mentally slow, Charlie Gordon grows to be a genius in a given time with the help of doctors who augment his chromosomes. I actually was looking for a movie made with this book, but I could never find it. But eventually we found a later made TV movie from 2000, and I have to say I was skeptical. TV movies don't do so great a lot of the time, but I watched it and I gotta say...RENT THIS MOVIE!

Oh my God, this movie follows the book extremely well, perfectly in fact. Yes they cut it down to an hour and a half feature but they kept all the themes, all the moods and captured the books best moments perfectly. I cannot believe a TV movie based on a book I liked would turn out this well. I don't know a single one of these actors, but they all fit their roles very well. This movie is emotional, no it didn't get me to tears but it had me actually caring about these people. Charlie Gordon's actor Matthew Modine goes between the genius and the regular sides of Charlie Gordon so easily. The movie truly captures the mistake and the miracle of giving this man the tools to become a genius, it also does social commentary on the competitive nature of intelligence.

Acting was good, direction was good, the writing was good. I had a hard time finding mistakes or flaws with this movie, I mean its really good. We're talking the perfection Pixar is known for, this movie was perfectly paced albeit a bit fast paced.

This movie tears at your heart, makes you feel for the characters, it inspired me to be open and true to myself. Everyone needs to see this movie, go rent it and immerse yourself in this world Author Daniel Keyes created and that was captured so PERFECTLY.

I give this movie a 5 out of 5