Terri (2011)

"There's good hearted kids and there's bad hearted kids. When I look at you I see a good heart." Terri (Wysocki) is a larger then average 15 year old. Feeling like an out cast and having to take care of his sick uncle he seems to give up. After repeated tardiness to school and his new wardrobe of pajamas only, the school's principal (Reilly) decides to take Terri under his wing. This is a new take on the outcast school kid movie. The actor playing Terri does a fantastic job with this and even Reilly is subdued and adds a lot to the character. While the movie is not anything original you really feel for this character and want things to go his way. Unlike most other outcast movies like "She's The One" or even "Naploean Dynamite" this one seems much more realistic and that makes it better then most of the movies in this type of genre. The humor in this is more subdued but still a pretty funny watch. Overall, not a bad movie with the type of humor that not everyone will get. Worth checking out though. I say B.

Would I watch again? No I don't think so.

*Also try Cyrus & Youth In Revolt

This is a contemplative film about an alienated teen with some new unlikely friends, including his school principal. There is a lot of sexual content that may make some uncomfortable and parents would not like to watch it with their kids, I imagine. Also, if you are looking for resolution and a lot of action, this is not the film for you.

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Pretty excellent melancholy comedy. Now here are the other sixteen words I need to write to make this comment public.

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Terri (Jacob Wysocki), is a boy. Normally Terri for males is spelled with a "Y" as opposed to the cutesy "I" for females. This is symbolic of his role as a "victim of circumstance" in this awkward coming of age story. Terri is 15, obese and pathetic. He cares for his uncle who has memory lapses and bad days. Terri goes to school wearing pajamas and has a nemesis (Justin Prentice as Dirty Zach) who picks on him as well as is semi-intimate with a blond girl (Olivia Crocicchia as Heather) in which Terri is interested.

John C. Reilly plays the semi-cool, slightly creepy, misfit school principal Mr. Fitzgerald who takes an interest in Terri's life as he is frequently late for homeroom. Terri quickly realizes that the principal only meets with misfits and is upset he is in that group. We see Terri and Heather's relationship bloom during a very bad music montage. The movie lumbers along slow and steady like Terri. At times I found myself waiting for something to happen that wasn't as boring as real life. Like most Indy movies it relishes in its uncomfortable scenes, substituting real human drama, which we get enough in our own life, for exploding heads on the screen. I admit it, I am shallow and enjoy exploding heads.

If you are a big fan of Indie films and John C. Reilly this is a 5 star must see movie. The characters were unique and realistic. The dialogue flowed but was not abundantly witty or clever. There is a scene where graffiti states "Fitzgerald is a zombie." John C. Reilly played an uncredited "bathroom zombie" in "Zombieland," perhaps an inside indie joke. The movie includes some real life views and philosophy expressed through the understanding John C. Reilly. Good Indie.

F bomb, sex talk, near sex. No nudity.

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Being totally unfamiliar with director Azazel Jacobs's work, I sat down to watch Terri unsure of what I was in for. One hundred or so minutes later, I was pleasantly surprised by an intimate movie that reminds us that the small things are what makes life worth living. Centered around the travails of friendless, overweight teen Terri as he navigates high school, the world of the movie is lovingly crafted with interesting characters, all broken in their own ways. In tiny bursts of joy, these characters escape the pain and frustration of their lives and find enough momentum to keep moving forward. Jacob Wysocki gives a perfectly naturalistic performance as Terri, John C. Reilly is a combination of genuine and hilarious as an assistant principal, and Creed Bratton's portrayal of Terri's turning-toward-dementia uncle is surprisingly impressive. When he experiences a brief moment of clarity, it turns into the movie's best scene. Terri manages to surpass the clichés of the indie high school movie, and should be experienced by anyone who has ever managed to find joy in the little things.

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