From director Gus Van Sant, of Good Will Hunting fame, Finding Forrester is one of 2001’s gems. Sixteen year old Jamal Wallace (newcomer Robert Brown), an intelligent African–American athlete from the Bronx, forms an unlikely relationship with a famous, yet reclusive, writer, William Forrester, played by the award-winning actor Sean Connery.

Jamal is an all star basketball player, but he is also blessed with the gifted talent of writing. After Connery realizes this, he secretly takes him on as his protégé. In doing this, they ultimately defy all assumptions that they had previously formed about one another. Jamal is accepted into a private school where he immediately comes to odds with one of the school’s teachers, played by F. Murray Abraham.

This inspirational drama is packed with emotion, substance, and passion. Sean Connery delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in this film with his dealing with Brown’s character to the life lessons that are unknowingly taught to him through the teacher-student relationship that they have formed.

Connery’s inspirational and intense performance is proof that this actor still encompasses the passion that this business entails. Robert Brown, who plays Jamal, is incredible in his first role in front of the camera. To work with one of the most well-known actors in the latter half of the twentieth century is truly remarkable, but to possess the chemistry that Brown and Connery have is an even bigger feat. Brown steals the show by giving depth to his character, evident in his dialogue, as well as in the way he acts and expresses himself.

The dramatic, clever, and humorous writing in this movie allows the audience to obtain a realistic feel, an aspect that some films can often lack. The music selected for this film sets the mood for each scene, thus allowing the audience to feel where the movie was heading. The direction in this movie is very effective in captivating the audience’s attention and emotion. "Finding Forrester" is a film for people of all ages, despite some episodes of strong language throughout the film. This story is this winter’s best example of a "feel-good movie".