Second Best (1994)
8/10
an overlooked but terrific film
11 June 2005
William Hurt is an interesting actor. Although he has made many money making Hollywood films, he seems to enjoy also making small artistic films that MUST bring him a lot less money but perhaps more personal satisfaction. Among these many "little" films he has done is Second Best--an odd little film well worth watching. Is it a perfect film? Certainly not. At times, it is a bit slow and emotionally sterile--though this is needed due to the type man Hurt is portraying. For some inexplicable reason (it would have been nice to know more about WHY), Welshman Hurt decides to take in a hard to adopt boy with the intention of adopting him. Because the boy has lots of emotional baggage, they do not easily bond and their relationship is strained. However, just because there are these awkward moments, do not stop watching--the payoff is there and the characters are much more realistic (with all their foibles) than what you are usually given in a typical movie!
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