ibpiar Main parts of the movie are not believable. If Matt Damon wasn't angry at Brendan Fraser for taking his girlfriend, would he tell classmates that David was Jewish? David helped them win. So, it's not clear at all. The headmaster, the coach, a few alumni knew that David was Jewish. They decided to enroll David. If kids don't like it, too bad. My favorite part is when David puts Magen David back on after kids find out he is Jewish. It's a great lesson. Don't try to blend in. Whenever Jews try to blend in, eventually they suffer. Obviously, it's hard for a high school senior to understand. Especially, when there are so many incentives to do so.

Irishchatter OK I know these great actors such as Matt Damon and Brendan Fraser just were getting started in becoming famous, however I didn't find watching this film that entertaining. It was just the scenes dragged on and most of the characters didn't seem to have interest in doing the scenes. I only wanted to watch this movie because of Matt Damon and Brendan Fraser really. I was disappointed, especially since I'm not a football fan. I suggest anyone should really love the sport before watching this because I didn't understand some of the basics of the sport. I know it's a sport and you kick a ball around but that's all I know! It's a movie that I definitely regretted watching!

moonspinner55 "School Ties", written by Dick Wolf and Darryl Ponicsan from Wolf's story, seems as if it must be a remake of something (possibly with Sal Mineo or James MacArthur in the lead). Athletic, handsome young man in the mid-1950s, the son of a blue-collar railroad worker in Pennsylvania, receives a scholarship to play football at prestigious boys' prep school in Boston. He's Jewish but keeps his religion under-wraps, and for good reason: the other lads swap anti-Semitic gossip in the locker room (right before the Senior Mixer!) and another boy confidentially tells our hero that one must go along with the curriculum if he wants to succeed. This is the kind of movie that might have been extended from a short; the first hour's set-up is practically irrelevant. The screenwriters lazily stack the deck against Brendan Fraser's well-meaning protagonist, even giving prejudiced-pal Matt Damon a reason to expose the Jew: he stole his girl! The '50s atmosphere is laid on thickly, what with an opening rumble between the ducktails and the bikers in an alley; we aren't even spared the proverbial prank on the snooty French teacher (who caused a student to have the same classroom breakdown that Natalie Wood suffered in "Splendor in the Grass"). It's a ridiculous picture, only notable now for the array of young talent in the cast. ** from ****

skoolgurl_13 Scranton High school senior David Greene (Fraser) is accepted at St. Matthews an elite prep school in New England circa 1955. Diligent and hard working Greene strives to succeed in athletics and academia while at the same time keeping a low profile of his Jewish heritage. His dream of going to an ivy league school is jeopardized when a classmate with a grudge exposes Greene's alleged secret.Exceptionally fine acting by Fraser and supporting actor Matt Damon make this film enjoyable however the depiction of one dimensional prep school boys is not only stereotypical but it has been done before. This film in a nutshell deals with religious acceptance and belonging in an era where being Jewish was taboo, I guess it's why my title is appropriately called "when Jewish eyes are crying." Although they may cry today from hatefulness and fear they will rejoice tomorrow when all is well.