Little Man Tate | | Cast : | Jodie Foster, Dianne Wiest, Adam Hann-Byrd | | Director : | Jodie Foster | | Studio : | Mgm/Ua Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | October 18, 1991 | | DVD Released Date : | October 07, 2003 | | Language : | Unknown (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 24, 2005 | | Summary | Extremely good, once | Content
 | Jodie Foster directed this film, and stars as the working-class, average-intelligence mother of a seven-year-old boy, who happens to be a genius. Diane Wiest is the brilliant, but somewhat socially incompetent woman who runs a school for the gifted. Foster wants to make sure her son gets the love, social interaction, and full-life experience he needs to become a well-rounded individual, but cannot keep up with her son intellectually. Wiest wants to make sure the boy, Fred "Little Man" Tate, gets the education that will allow him to go as far as his tremendous intellect will carry him. Both women have trouble accepting that they each cannot give the boy all he needs, and both have trouble sharing him.
This film has many fine moments, and some very good acting. It also has, for me, some very slow sections. For me, it is comparable to "About Schmidt" in that it is a very good film, I am glad I saw it, and I have no urge to see it again. My recommendation is to rent it, and watch it twice, before deciding to buy it. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 07, 2005 | | Summary | Never get tired of watching this movie... | Content
| Well, I don't know all those technical things about whether a movie is good or not. I don't worry about how good the directing is, or even how good the script is. And sure, it can get a little (ok, a lot) annoying if the acting in a movie is bad, but all I really care about is whether I like the movie or not. I loved this movie from the first time I saw it, and my husband likes it too. Maybe it's considered a drama, but there are so many cute, funny moments in the movie that make LMT so very enjoyable. And Fred is so adorable. :o) |
| Rating | | | Date | November 21, 2004 | | Summary | Good pic about finding your place in the world | Content
| I disagree somewhat with the reviews I have seen here. Although the main character is a genius, I think the main plot is about finding your place in life. While some children are lucky and slide right in, here the genius child is out of place with his surroundings. With a teacher and mom who cannot stimulate him intellectually, and the other children who make fun of him.
Soon he has the chance to be in a school with other geniuses, but does he fit here? I'll let you find out.
I think the boy is engaging and believable as the child genius. And as always Diane Weist does a terrific job as the head of the 'genius institute'. Jodie foster gives a good performance as the off beat mom. And I think she does a good job as director, although some movie seems predictible.
Overall better than most of the movies out there getting 4 stars by critics. |
| Rating | | | Date | November 18, 2004 | | Summary | Geniuses are people too | Content
| In her first job as director Jodie Foster shows us more than competent ability with a willingness to tell a story that's not formulaic.
Jody plays Dede Tate, who could have been her character from "Taxi" all grown up. Her only child is Fred. She tells Fred she doesn't know who his father was. She works odd jobs delivering drinks in a bar and "dancing".
Fred is seven years old for most of the movie, and he's a genius. Not a little bit of genius - Fred has "Good Will Hunting" or maybe above when he grows up kind of genius. He plays classical piano on the clunky upright that Dede sells at one point because finances get a little tight. Fred writes and composes poetry and when other kids are playing kickball on the playground Fred makes chalk drawings that look like they belong in the Louvre.
What Fred would REALLY like is to play kickball with the other kids and not be considered a "freak". When other kids are playing Fred is worrying about the ozone layer and the rain forests and fossil fuels, and Fred worries about it so much that he already has ulcers. He's enrolled in a public school where class is so boring it takes awhile before his teachers realize he's not retarded.
Dianne Wiest plays Jane Grierson, who was another "child prodigy" and played violin in the symphony at age eleven before growing up to head an institute for other hyperintelligent children. She hears about Fred and invites him to come join the group.
Much of the film deals with Fred being torn between biological Mom Dede and intellectual Mom Jane when he still REALLY wants a playmate. Fred sees that despite her super intelligence, Jane is nonetheless alone and lonely. He knows that his intelligence has long since surpassed Dede. The other children at Jane's institute are the kind who get giddy over spelling words backwards and doing differential calculus in their head. One of Fred's early role models, Damon, is nick-named "The Mathemagician" and goes everywhere with a big black cape. Damon admits to Fred that he doesn't have any friends because he's "an a--hole".
At one point Jane takes Fred away with her to the University where she is lecturing and he takes Quantum Physics. In a silly scene Fred enters a full classroom on the first day of class where 80% of the students leave upon discovering that the class is Quantum Physics. Did they not know that when they registered? In a nice touch a little later the Quantum Physics students left behind are straining to look over Fred's shoulder at his notes as he is clearly "getting it" where they are not.
While at the university Fred gets bonked on the head and winds up meeting Eddie, played by Harry Connick, Jr. in a little movie interlude that adds almost nothing to the movie other than a scene where Fred gets a grown-up playmate. Fred the classical pianist watches in awe as Eddie the jazz pianist tickles the ivories. Fred has so much fun that he comes over to Eddie's the next morning. Eddie's fraternity brothers are only too happy to guide young Fred to Eddie's room where he has a young woman in a compromising position.
You don't have to understand Quantum Physics or be able to do complicated math in your head to enjoy this movie - it's about the characters, NOT the academics. We're told over and over that, in addition to his incredible genius, Fred is also super perceptive and "sensitive". He's the kind of kid I hope grows up to be President. Then maybe he can SOLVE global warming, the rain forests, etc. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 07, 2004 | | Summary | THE VAGARIES OF GENIUS | Content
| Genius does not herd with genius, said Oliver Wendell Holmes, but come to think of it it does not herd with anyone at all. Little Man Tate charts the solitary prodigious existence of a pint-sized 6-year old, gifted beyond the regular rations allocated to ordinary men.
The story is as hackneyed as can be: a working class mother fiercely protective of her little brainiac, wants him to do well, so despite sparks with school psychologist lets him take part in bigtime contests for special kids, where he meets people of all kinds, etc etc. You get the picture.
Or may be you don't. The proof is in the pudding. Debuting as a director, Jodie Foster nails the production quality. The cinematography is fabulous. While parts of the script are predictably cheesy, all the characters are generally pleasant, the emotional scenes are moving, and all the interactional contretemps resolve neatly in the end.
And the message is heartening: even if he is more "grown up" than the rest of his Peter Pan peers, Fred is not special in every way. He is just as needy of a mother's affection, a teacher's direction and the companionship of regular social groups.
Plain stuff, but very efficiently delivered. Recommended rental. |
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