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Show Page rts & 8 September 23, 1998 ntertainment jennieinfowest.com Editor: Jennie Squire Simon Birch believes in God By Jennie Squire jennieinfoivest. com This is a rather frustrating film in that it has such potential but falls disappointingly flat. Simon Birch is a very loose adaptation of John Irving's novel, "A Prayer for Owen Meany." It is a story about a young boy who was born with a disease that his stunted growth, and almost ended his life before it had begun. As a result of his survival, Simon Birch believes that God has a plan for make him a hero, nd c5lings t0 that belief with the unwavering faith of a child. . Simon s parents never cared, but Miss Wentworth always treated Simon as her own son. This is a movie that is going to explore questions of faith if it opens on pealing church bells and a narrator who intones, "It's Simon who made me a believer in God." The narrator is played Carrey, who appears only in Simon Birch's first and final scenes and once , never a i makes iw a c k y by Jim 1 face. cannot help. Simon is very small and while Joe is a "bastard." It seems that mother Joe's oddly-shape- This film never had a chance to be anything bu bad. The writer-directMark Steven Johnson, ha been responsible botl for Grumpy Old Men series. "He was not the right man for a literary adapta d, or Rebecca (Ashley Judd, Simon' one good parental fig- has ure) n e v e ,r divulged his father's identi ty, not to Joe, to even Ben Goodrich, her d boyfriend. On one fateful afternoon, Simon hits his first tion," Bjorn Thomsor from Savoy or Film. And, inauspi ciously, the author vehe mently agreed. When John Irving saw how rad much-belove- IThis film explores all aspects ''of life with 'Joe and Simon, best friends, who are looking for answers to the fateful happenings of their life. Simon is an old boy with the body of a old and the mind of a 35 year-olBoth Simon and his best friend Joe Wentworth (Joseph Mazzello), are staggered by a they ar d. smacks rig the A r Arie hom sible Rorr stick thro char Thui be hi lal b hous even end. Sunc Taur learn Use spen have ically Johnson had deviat ed from Irving's novel A homi Prayer For Owen Meany fully he terminated his associ resoi a tion from the film chan and asked that the Thur name of the title to m killing Joe's mom, Mrs. Wentworth when the ball baseball, into states x , side of her j head The twof boys grief rid- - character changed, became be he Simor Birch. den for all' of ten minutes of the film,' start on the search of finding Joe's real dad. Like in many movies, the movie is never as good as thi book. have Sund Save Sund Gem 21). Mom love next Mone Mane I signe 'Jr jects chanc r w Thuri sions xnmm' (Ml . y1 dMRtfsWfr flpluSJM 1 1'kxmkky, i .m 4 mo realiz ' 4 Gil sJMffi -- Your & X. H 4 ?N- - ,v ' ja Fwivnimg Afk lifejMr ' I c A. ZlXf'"' 'S' r ;V. MUriL! ,) wihuh NHfjfinnnmm Cana up f( Mond mg c Wedn 12 V Souifl 'fjjdx,VTa thing home week sched Sund. a.- ip "04,yp- Sun News Service Simon Birch stands up in church and tells the reverend that donuts and food arc not part of God s plan. The people all treat Simon as a freak and dont acknowl edge the intelligence he has been given. told. 1 on TJ you'll speed the m you tl sharp almos somet Sunda Leo (J |