Finding Forrester

My all-time favorite movie is Finding Forrester. I stumbled across it on HBO around 2005 or 2006. I don’t remember what compelled me to watch it or anything. I hadn’t heard anything about it, seen any promo, or had anyone tell me to check it out. It opens in New York with hip-hop playing in the background and a young man doing spoken word as he looks into the camera. At the time, I was really into writing poetry so immediately this hooked me in.

The movie is about a young black man by the name of Jamal Wallace. He is a brilliant kid who doesn’t want to appear too smart as his love for basketball comes with a certain appearance he’d like to keep. He does just enough to get by and not enough to get noticed, or so he thought. His recent test scores are through the roof and bring an interesting opportunity with it. He is offered a scholarship at a prestigious private school where not only do they want him for his brain, but he can also play basketball.

Now before I just tell you the whole movie because I love it that much, I will just break down its biggest plot point. The entire story centers around Jamal and his relationship with an award-winning reclusive author, William Forrester, who takes an interest in Jamal’s writing. He challenges Jamal to not accept subtle racism and brings meaning to his writing. In the process, William gains a friend and a reason to go outside that he’d lacked for years.

There are so many things about this movie that made me want to do exactly what I’m doing right now. I wanted to do short stories, novels, poetry, haikus, or even write plays. Well maybe not writing plays but, I wanted to do everything I could to be like Jamal. When I watched the bonus content on my DVD copy of the movie, I learned that Sean Connery who played William Forrester was also a producer on the movie. In my last blog post, I’ve told you how much I loved him as James Bond. So to see him in this new light allowed me to gain even more respect for someone I admired.

Art truly does imitate life and I saw myself all throughout this movie. God has so many different avenues that He speaks to us. An unexpected call that you didn’t know you needed or looking down and finding some extra money that pushes you over what was required for a bill. He is always speaking to us. Always showing us who we can be. I am so very appreciative of this movie that has inspired me again and again. Rest in peace to the late Sean Connery. He was a pioneer for me and one of my cinema heroes. I also want to give a shout out to Rob Brown who played Jamal. Finding Forrester was his first movie and he acted so well and honest to himself. I hope we all take time to see the beauty in life and the purpose in what moves our emotions. #wepreach #giverosesmonth