Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

rivabeava I watched this, thinking I would be fairly satisfied with what I saw, and maybe even end up loving the movie more than I expected. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Overall, the movie was completely sloppy and character development was just unrealistic and off. And the "love" story was not the saving grace either. Don't get me wrong, teenage love stories are my weakness. But this just didn't make sense. Characters were just too all over the place. Suddenly the misanthropic male has actually been in love with the girl the whole time? Really? And then, no wait, the girl loves him too? Oh wait, the girl loves him so much she decides to cheat on her boyfriend only to go and meet him at the airport anyway? No wait, she doesn't end up going on a plane! What a surprise! And don't even get me started on that painting at the end. Of all the things the kid could have painted (I'm sure the kid has had a lot of struggles) he decides to paint the girl???? Really???? Their relationship did not even seem that significant or had any impact (everything just came suddenly) and that's really who/what he paints? Disappointed. Only gave it a 4 cause I really like Freddie and the concept of the movie.

doug_park2001 Well-filmed and interestingly plotted coming-of-age story that's very revealing of adolescent ennui and indecision and the reasons behind same. George Zinavoy is a believable character: Smart, talented, and failing to see the point of the apparent rat-race going on around him (I remember that feeling oh-so-well). Sally Howe is similarly convincing and makes an effective counter-character to George.Definitely worth seeing if you like this sort of thing, but nothing truly special. The story and character development, though not just the same ol', are both a little sketchy and underdeveloped. The script and acting are realistic, but again, nothing spectacular. THE ART of GETTING BY has some real depth to it; nevertheless, it could have gone a little deeper. Only 83 minutes--it might have been better if it had taken more time to tell the story.

lewisfindley3 This film is incredible. I loved it and will treasure it. What I loved the most was how it spoke to me. The acting was superb and the fact that they are of similar age to the characters makes it so real.The Film is about a teenager called George (played by Highmore) and how he thinks that we live alone, die alone and that life is just an illusion. He fears life itself because it gives him a strong awareness of his mortality making everything seem meaningless. At school his attitude to learning is poor and to his teachers he can do much more. He has this angle playing relationship with his principal, as he has been sent to him umpteen times, and he stresses to George how important his senior year is. He gives George a warning.home it is George, his Mother and step farther. He has a different relationship with both of them. With his Mother he really cares for her and wants what is best for her. With his step father it is the complete opposite and they don't see eye to eye much.George goes on the roof to contemplate and meets Sally (played by Roberts) who is smoking on there but is not supposed to and he covers for her. She waits for him after school and introduces herself to him and asks him why he never does his work. He tells her that he is a misanthrope not by choice just a fact. His attitude to life changes after he meets Sally because he starts seeing life differently and begins to introduce himself to the world by designing a poster for one of her friends' New Year's Eve party. Whilst skipping school with her, he sees his step father walking across the street when he should be working. The principal catches wind that George has this new circle of friends and blackmails him into attending the career day to be a helper, as he was caught smoking on the roof. He meets Dustin, who is also a painter. George gets inspired by his speech and shows him his book and they build a relationship and he invites George to his studio. George tells them that whenever he visualises a subject he feels that he is being something he is not and Dustin tells him to exercise the muscle or else it will never happen.He takes Sally with him and Dustin asks if they are together and George reiterates how they are friends and Dustin says he will leave it alone. On the way home Sally asks George if Dustin said anything about her and he lies.George, Sally and her friends party during New Year's Eve but George gets lost and winds up outside and passes out. Sally finds him and takes him home and puts him to bed, after he tells her that she is amazing. He wakes up to see her asleep. He goes back to sleep to wake up with the knowledge that she has seen something up that every boy knows too well. Sally's mum tells her, during the evening, that messing around with the affections of the good guys is not right and Sally rejects this notion of her relationship with George and insists that they are just friends.During Valentine's Day, Sally puts George in an environment that is severely uncomfortable and he inevitably takes it the wrong way and becomes convinced that their relationship is all a joke. They reach an impasse and don't speak to each other. George goes incommunicado and tortures himself with the same song and snaps at anyone that speaks to him. Sally finds Dustin and asks if he has seen George and then they start to get close.George's luck of not doing his school work catches up with him as he is summoned to the principal and he is given the choice of expulsion or completing everything assignment, paper and exercise that he has been set this year within 3 weeks. At first he chooses expulsion and is given time to think it over.The news is passed on to his home and a big argument happens resulting in his step father injuring himself as he wrestles with George, after he exposes him for not actually working when he is meant to and spends his days wandering the streets like a homeless person. George runs to Sally's and relentlessly knocks on her door. She opens the door and he kisses her. She kisses him back then stops him. She opens the door and he sees Dustin. He leaves the apartment and Dustin catches up with him.After an emotional scene a heart broken George leaves. He spends the next few days contemplating and meets his Mother in the park where she tells him that she is getting a divorce as he frequently lied to her and forced her to put herself financially at risk and now they have to sell their home. George agrees to do the mission impossible and is given a break when his Art teacher only asks for one assignment, which is to draw something meaningful and fearless. He finally speaks to Sally after school and he tells her his situation. She texts him to meet her and she tells him that she is going travelling with Dustin and she will be leaving tomorrow on graduation. He confesses his love for her and they share a kiss or two...George asks her to stay. Sally tells George she loves him too. George begins his mission impossible and his Art subject slowly takes formation. At the end of the film we finally see what it was! - Sally. She comes back after leaving Dustin at the airport, during final boarding call, and she still hasn't decided what she is doing. What she does know is that she will be going this unknown with George.

mustafaakajgani Alright, i just registered because of this movie, it is so full of BS, its type of movie which makes people really angry after watching it, but if someone likes that than OK... and who the f gave it rating of 6.4.. more like 0.4. Hm now what to write for another five lines.. in movie that girl Sally is shown like a little slut, but no sex scenes anywhere, another minus to the movie when they are already showing her as a slut, to add that when i am on the subject... if anyone decides to watch movie anyway, watch it like 50 minutes and shut it down there, until there main char is kinda cool, consider that an end of it or you'll be sorry for not listening to me..