I don’t know about you, but when it comes to watching coming-of-age films, I tend to compare current features with two I have come to love- Monsieur Ibrahim and The Man without a Face.

‘Ibrahim’ one of the more recent films of Omar Sharif explores the relationship between an old Arab store owner and a young abandoned Jew. The film was directed by François Dupeyron. Synopsis follows:

"During the early 1960's, Paris, like the much of Europe, was an explosion of life. As the old gave way to the new, everything was in flux and the city was filled with a energy that promised cultural shifts and social change. Against this background, in a working class neighborhood, two unlikely characters—a young Jew and an elderly Muslim—begin a friendship. When we meet Momo (Pierre Boulanger), he is in effect an orphan even though he lives with his father, a man slowly retreating into a crippling depression. His only friends are the street whores who treat him with genuine affection. Momo buys his groceries at the neighborhood shop, a crowded dark space owned and run by Ibrahim (Omar Sharif), a silent exotic looking man who sees and knows more than he lets on. After Momo is abandoned by his father, Ibrahim becomes the one grownup in Momo's life. Together they begin a journey that will change their lives forever. "

‘Man Without a Face’, the first directorial effort of Mel Gibson, tells the story of a disfigured, idealistic teacher who has a dark secret. Critic Roger Ebert has this to say about the movie:

"One of the special qualities of the film is the performance by Nick Stahl, as the boy. The screenplay by Malcolm MacRury, based on the novel by Isabelle Holland, makes him into a smart, bold kid - one with enough self-confidence that we can guess he'll turn out well in life.

His early meetings with McLeod are interesting because he stands up to this apparently fearsome man, speaks firmly, lets him know what's on his mind. Stahl is much more interesting than most actors his age, because he knows what many actors never learn, how to do no more than necessary. He doesn't believe that his face has to mirror every emotion; he takes a no-nonsense approach to the material that's fresh and interesting."

In addition to technical excellence, both films were successful mainly because of the chemistry between the lead actors. Nick Stahl who played the young student tutored by Justin McLeod (Gibson’s character) was exceptional, while Ibrahim’s Pierre Boulanger (Momo) was a delight in his first feature film, playing the young Jew who was befriended by Sharif.

Some of the more recent films with similar theme failed quite miserably, including Peaceful Warrior and Off the Black. But there are a couple of new films begging for the same critical acclaim and appreciative audience…

Man in the Chair: Just like Stahl and Boulanger, Michael Angarano, who plays the young lead in this movie, is a young actor to watch. Not to mention Christopher Plummer, who plays his mentor.

- - -

- - -

What's the Movie About: A young man learns something about making his fantasies into reality from an older man who has already been there in this coming-of-age drama. Cameron (Michael Angarano) is a teenage film buff living in Los Angeles who dreams of making movies himself someday, an ambition that doesn't impress his parents very much. Cameron doesn't have many friends beyond fellow outcast Murphy (Joshua Boyd), and wealthy and popular classmate Brett (Taber Schroeder) takes great pleasure in making Cameron's life miserable. A major film school in L.A. has announced a competition for young filmmakers, but while Cameron has talent and ideas, Brett has the money to buy film stock and rent equipment, and Cameron wonders if he stands any chance at all.

- - -

- - -

_{[ Watch the movie trailer from youtube ]}

One evening, while attending a screening of Orson Welles's Touch of Evil at a revival theater, Cameron sees an elderly man who shouts at the screen about his old pal Orson. Cameron is thus introduced to Flash Madden (Christopher Plummer), who worked as a lighting man during the Golden Age of Hollywood and really did work with some of the most respected names in the business, including Welles. While cranky Flash doesn't much care for Cameron at first, in time he sees a kindred spirit in the movie-mad teenager, and offers his technical know-how and sources of equipment to the would-be director. Flash also introduces Cameron to Mickey Hopkins (M. Emmet Walsh), a former screenwriter who helped script a number of silver screen classics but is now living in a shabby Old Folks home, and in Hopkins Cameron finds the inspiration for just the sort of movie he wants to make. [ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide ]

[ Official Man in the Chair Movie website ]

- - -

Local Color: The young Trevor Morgan has come of age! You might remember him as one of Mel Gibson's son in The Patriot and for his role in Jurassic Park 3 and A Rumor of Angels. With a fantastic cast including Ray Liotta, Samantha Mathis and the amazing Armin Mueller-Stahl.

- - -

- - -

What's the Movie About: The challenges of growing up are fused with the discipline of art in this coming-of-age drama from writer and director George Gallo. John (Trevor Morgan) is a shy, introverted teenager from Port Chester, NY, who is fascinated with art and would like to become a painter someday -- an ambition that does not please his father (Ray Liotta), who would prefer his son spend his time playing ball and chasing girls. John is a great admirer of Nicholi Seroff, a little-known but well-respected Russian impressionist, and to his surprise he discovers that the great Seroff (Armin Mueller-Stahl) is living in New York these days.

- - -

- - -

_{[ Watch the movie trailer from youtube ]}

John pays him a visit hoping for some tutoring from the master, only to be told by Seroff that he's no longer interested in painting before slamming the door in John's face. But John is persistent, and after bribing his would-be mentor with some Russian vodka, Seroff grudgingly allows the young student to tag along with him as he heads to Pennsylvania for the summer, where he can pass along some of what he knows in exchange for John handling the household chores.

Despite his dad's objections, John eagerly takes the offer, but over the course of the summer he learns as much about himself as he does about painting, especially after meeting Seroff's neighbor Carla (Samantha Mathis). Also starring Charles Durning, Ron Perlman, and Diana Scarwid, Local Color received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. [ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide ]

[ Official Local Color movie site ]

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Add Comment