Yasmin Butt
Firstly, I just want to say that that I did not dole out that score lightly. This film was charming, funny, compassionate and really well scripted. The story isn't ground breaking and the little IMDb summary sums it up nicely. I just thought the performances and characterisation were excellent. I would have given it 10/10 but I felt James VanDer Beek as the popular but mean jock was a bit too two dimensional. Believe it or not the key reason I saw it was due to the clip of a dance I saw on Film'96 with the Mazzy Star song 'Fade Into You' being played. This song is exquisite, and they also used Love Spit Love's 'Am I right' in the movie. I go with my gut instinct a lot with films and I was not disappointed. I know this was a small release but I honestly think if you trust me on this one you won't regret it. Angus is a lovely gem of a film for anyone who wanted a movie were the boy with a heart of gold gets to have his day.
cthdmikelambert
This film is an excellent example of the pressures of High School hierarchy. It is realistic and very funny! It has been one of my favorite movies for a long time now and I still am not tried of it. Kathy Bates and George C. Scott (as usual) display their versatile abilities as their hilarious characters trying to cope with Angus' (Charlie Talbert) problems with him as much as work out their own issues. Of all the High School teen flicks, I believe this to be the most dramatic and sophisticated in storyline. James Van Der Beek plays the classic quarterback that everyone has met before and just loves to hate. Angus has always thought that the key was to be more like Rick (Van Der Beek) but then realizes that he truly needs to be himself. As it turns out, Angus' chelating crush, Melissa (Ariana Richards), is just as frightened of other people as Angus is. As a cruel joke, Angus is nominated to be Winter King at their school. Angus realizes the intentions behind the nomination and turns the situation into a positive experience. This movie is full of humor, classic characters we all knew and underwear up the flagpole. I deeply recommend this film. Enjoy!
Christopher Smith
I saw this movie for the first time when I was eight-years-old and after all these years, it still remains one of my favorites. It's one of the rare teen movies from the 1990s that isn't truly terrible. I'm surprised it wasn't talked about on Vh1's I LOVE THE 90S. It's an unwritten rule that if a movie starts with a voice over, chances are it is going to suck. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, if a movie starts with a voice over, you as the viewer, are screwed. ANGUS is one of the exceptions in which the voice over doesn't hurt the movie. Could the movie have done without it? Probably, but Charlie Talbert has such a good voice that the voice over didn't bother me.
Based on a short story written by Chris Crutcher, one of my favorite authors, ANGUS tells the story of a fat kid. At first glance, it may seem like just another movie in which a series of fat jokes ensue. However, unlike those movies, ANGUS has heart. Angus is not a target for fat jokes. He is an actual character. Well developed and wonderfully played by Charlie Talbert, Angus is one of the most memorable characters in film history, making this the stand-out movie of 1995. ****
thedbdawg
An underrated gem of a movie. I first came across Angus on a Saturday "with nothing else to do." What a pleasant surprise. Angus tries for nothing more that being what he (it) is; just someone trying to live their life and find some joy and accomplishment in it. Growing up is difficult, but the teen years have got to be the hardest; Angus endures what most of us have forgotten, though. A misfit who is led by his heart, Angus just tries to be a good guy, but the world is cold and indifferent. By the time Peter Gabriel's "Washing of the Water" is playing, I'm usually eyeball deep in tears. Angus lays the king down, acknowledging another momentous change (something this movie handles quite well.) Loss spurs growth, and Angus gains confidence, taking the steps into maturity that now seem inevitable: defiance, resistance, accpetance and independence. We all find our own selves, and Angus finds his.
George C. Scott and Kathy Bates should be recommendation enough.9 of 10, 9/10, Almost Perfect, Very Highly Recommended
AD
