Tom Watkins What is the meaning of a movie that displays a very talented English teacher and writer as an alcoholic who is obnoxious, unlikeable, and totally wasting his life / talent away because he is addicted to alcohol. Why not just watch someone puking his guts (life) out for 90 minutes. Very sad if this is what interests you. What is the point ? Lots of very poor character traits shown in the students, and spineless administration that lets the kids get away with this. Yes, the movie portrays reality, but not the healthy side. Look for something else to do with your time. Suggestions: Radio, Listen to your Heart, Unconditional, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Ring the Bell, and The Mighty, to name a few. All display healthy reality shows of characters that have handicaps, but overcome them with strength, determination, humor, and honesty. Support traits that make society better, not those that bring people down to the gutter.

marinkojason Really didn't like this one at all. Very plain boring lead characters. Drawn out with very little dramatic, romantic or comedic entertainment value. There are plenty other of options to pursue before you jump into this one definitely give something else a shot.Even if you enjoy Clive Owen as I usually do in most films I see him in its a tough watch. Definitely depressing you"ve been warned by credits i said out loud well could of done with out that one and you will to unless you're a teacher who can relate to the story i suppose.Its quite difficult to even provide a complete review for a film where so little actually happens I wanted to like this movie going in but instead i suffered through the second half of it and have hopefully reached the line requirements so i no longer have to talk about it good watching.

eyeintrees Firstly, I never watch anything that might be remotely 'romantic comedy'; I loathe the genre. So it was with trepidation that I chose to watch Words and Pictures. Was I going to throw away two hours on drivel served up as 'falling in love' and my hard-earned? Delightfully, no.Perhaps because I'm both a writer and an artist, the concept immediately grabbed me... and for me, the whole premise started a flow of thought that was intriguing. But the movie had to prove itself, and for at least the first twenty minutes I held myself ready to hate it.Carefully blended in a mix of excellent acting, a clever script, a good look and wonderful pacing, this movie hits the mark. Yes, there are some formulas at work but they were 'saved' by actors who knew exactly where to begin and end and where to leave the drama alone.If you're looking for action, the usual slush and froth of rom-com and a Hollywood sex scene that has become all too familiar, you might find this a little slow for you. But if you're all grown up and enjoy wit, charm with a dash or realism, this should delight.

workingclasshero Whenever a mainstream (US-)movie incorporates the Fine Arts as a leading subject, the plot is usually sentenced to carry a huge baggage of the most trifle clichés about arts and artists."Finding Forrester" comes to mind immediately, with its claims for presenting the best writer of the century, yet delivering nothing but the most ridiculous and sappy lines any literate 16-year-old could come up with. "Dead Poets Society" is another one of those beloved, yet ultimately empty movies trying and failing to seriously deal with the subject of literature, probably because it simply wants to appeal to a large crowd, and the Hollywood filmmaking rules state that you can't demand too much of such an audience.Words and Pictures somehow manages to stay clear of most nonsense, and while I wouldn't call it a great movie let alone a great arts movie, it does present the subject in a very real and believable fashion. Neither of the two leads are unnecessarily overdrawn as the "centuriest greatest geniuses" or something, but simply as artists with personal circumstances that are completely plausible. Not making them something extreme either in a good or bad way leaves room for the viewer to relate to them and see oneself in their place. Also, the plot refrains from using the same old devices all over again: no artificial "love story", no "bad guy" that has to be fought to the bitter (happy) end. There is the "moral misstep" that has to be paid for and rectified, but even that feels unpolished and therefore more real than usual. The biggest surprise to me was that there were actually some pretty intelligent remarks about the nature of art and the artists soul that you won't find as a calendar motto.The movie has its weaknesses, but I wouldn't call them serious. It is a lovely, sometimes uncomfortable story told in a believable fashion and contains more truth than the 10 biggest box office hits of the year combined. Watch if you like the leads or are interested in the subject, or simply like movies that have more story than polish.