Finding Forrester

December 14, 2000

The movie, Finding Forester, appears to be an exact replica of Good Will Hunting, except for the fact that it is literature instead of math. I don't know how I feel about this. I guess I don't mind but there is still something that doesn't sit right with me. I can't decide if it is Hollywood that bugs me or society that bugs me. I think it is both. Hollywood puts out the same sh*t everytime because they know that the mainstream will eat it up (and don't get me wrong, I am often a part of this group), and the mainstream does. So Hollywood makes money.

Screenwriter: I want to do a movie about a boy who is having trouble growing up.
Fat Cat: Hmm. How about if the kid is a genius and his parents die, but then he finds a special teacher who gives him tough love and teaches him to cope and be amazing.
Screenwriter: That isn't what I was thinking.
Fat Cat: We'll pay you $500k.
Screenwriter: OK.

Then again, if the mainstream rejected this just because there was no significant effort, we would be ok. But we don't. So then it is back in Hollywood's hand to do something.

I guess the real answer is that capitalism won't allow for anything else. They can't make the good movies if they don't make the profitable movies. I would also put some blame on the government since we have little plans to help art film directors finance films, unlike many foreign film markets. I think this would aide the development of new film styles and genres. Anyway, this whole capitalism thing is not the best system, although I don't think any other available systems are any better. If you have one that is better, shoot me an email.

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