If you have ever been a hopelessly love besotted teenager
then this movie will strike a chord with you. It is a film about missed
opportunities and words unspoken. Bryce; played by Callan McAuliffe; moves in
next door to Juli; played by Madeline Carroll. They are both about 7 years old.
Juli falls for Bryce immediately; a passion not shared by Bryce. This sets them
both up for about 6 years of beating around the bush before the inevitable
comes to pass.
Juli is relentless in her pursuit of Bryce, to his utter
dismay. This quirky girl is involved in things beyond his limited imagination.
For instance, she sees the beauty of the old cypress tree which sits at their
school bus stop. When it is slated to be torn down, she does something about
it. She climbs the tree and refuses to come down until her father is called to
get her. Bryce could have lent his support but doesn’t, giving in to some peer
pressure regarding Juli’s being different.
When Bryce’s grandfather Chet, played by John Mahoney, gets
involved in helping Juli to repair her family’s run down garden, Bryce begins
to see a different side of her. But he is still too immature to understand his
feelings about Juli, so he doesn’t act upon them.
The movie is told from the perspective of both Juli and
Bryce; with each one recounting their version of the same events, all of which
lead up to a beautiful ending. This is a film about love, families, and pre-conceived
notions and above all, taking chances. Sometimes the very thing you want is so
close that you cannot see it. Rob Reiner
has given us another perfect film.
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