Favorite Movies Countdown — No. 2

2. Simon Birch (1998)

Starring: Joseph Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith, Ashley Judd, Oliver Platt and David Strathairn

About: "I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice, not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God. What faith I have, I owe to Simon Birch, the boy I grew up with in Gravedown, Maine." Joe Wentworth, "Simon Birch"

I still remember the first time I saw this movie. I cried, twice. I still get teared up when I watch the film, and I think that's a testament to the power of the characters and the story. I saw the movie during my junior year in high school. A few months later, at the start of my senior year, I was handed the book "A Prayer for Owen Meany" to read. That book, written by the great John Irving, was the basis for "Simon Birch."

This film will forever be at or near the top of my favorite films list for a couple reasons. One, I love the story, the characters, and what it says about faith. Two, it's based on my favorite book of all time. And three, when I see the film, I think of the book, and I think of the teacher that had me read that book, Mrs. Kay, who I will always remember for her profound impact on my learning.

At the heart of this film is the fascinating bond of friendship between a boy named Simon, who has every reason in the world to be angry with God but isn't, and Joe, a boy whose life has also seen its fair share of tragedies. It's the way they suffer, and Simon's response to that suffering, that really inform the growth and bond between them.

This film isn't as layered and complex as the novel — it only really covers material from about the first chapter of the book, plus a variation of the end. But it captures the spirit of the story. The performances are strong — with good supporting work from the adult stars Judd, Platt, and Strathairn.

This is a film that the whole family can enjoy, and one that I think asks some deep questions and deals with the idea of suffering and loss in a beautiful way.