Addison's Wall (2006) Poster

(2006)

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3/10
A few promising moments lead to disappointment.
guitarcarl24 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This movie tries to say something profound; I'm just not sure what it was. Too much is left unresolved in the end for me to figure out the main point. A couple scenes really have me wondering what was left on the cutting room floor. I don't think the wall was very well developed I never got what was actually going on there. When the mother finally unveils it I just couldn't make any connection to the boy's silence. What was the point of the boy not talking? Was he just delusional or did he acquire some sort of power. What was the scene with the burnt girl all about? Another power the boy has or what? I don't understand how that developed any character or moved the plot. I got the bully bit but what happened to the dog? Did the dog come back or did mom get rid of Fido for good somehow?

There were several additional plot elements that were more clutter than use. Like the radio talk show in the background discussing the Iraq War. I think that was supposed to create some sort of comparison to the grief and insecurity the mother and Addison were experiencing but for me it was distracting and strained. I didn't buy the link very much. I also found the teacher getting on Addison about not saying "here" for roll call a bit much. The mom seeing the doctor was pointless, how did it serve the plot? Was that to show how desperate the mother was getting, or was it something about the medicine that I didn't get? Was that the dad coming back in the last scene, or just some guy? So did writing on the wall work? What happened to the Dog?
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1/10
don't bother spending those 61 minutes for nothing
frenzy_kenzy14 January 2007
Conclusion: very, but very, very boring, yet I watched till the end, hoping for some upside-down effect, but the end was worse, because it was nothing. The old black&white game didn't helped at all, it usually helps psychological movies, but this was not the case. The script, the plot, etc were linear, had no substance, nothing in-going. When you deal with psychological, you deal with analysis, therefore with details, that unity-diversity formula....there was no essence, no detail. Just a story, there are many stories to tell, but something makes them unique and hard to forgive with the tools and creativity of movie-makers...well, this is not the one.
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2/10
This Movie Is Magical...It Makes 1 Hour Seem Like 3 Hours!
NutshelLS28 January 2007
Unfortunately, i made the mistake of checking to see the rating of this movie, here at IMDb, back when there were less than 10 members who had rated it. The overall rating was an 8, so i decided to check the movie out. After watching the movie, i can't believe it still has an overall rating above a 3! It's basically about a mother and her son(Addison), who move to a new town after the father commits suicide in their previous home, which is all explained to the principal by the mother when enrolling Addison in his new school. Addison hasn't said a word since his father killed himself, and the mother seems to think it's just his way of "working through" the tragedy. And although she is basically having a mental breakdown over the silence of her son, she doesn't want to pressure him to speak, nor does she want anyone else to pressure him to speak. This is where the story ends for me, which is 3/4 through the movie. I mean, Addison starts writing random stuff on his bedroom wall at night. There really isn't even to many scenes dedicated to his wall scribblings, and it's never quite clear what any of them say or mean. The movie just crawls along at a snails pace. The entire script couldn't have been any longer than 15 pages, even if double spaced! To sum it up, i would compare this movie to an incomplete sentence. It just leaves too...
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2/10
Incredibly boring
chris-407114 January 2007
I saw this movie on the strength of the single positive review and I can only imagine that guy is a shill.

The acting of the female lead is actually quite good, but the entire film is just so excruciatingly boring I could hardly bear to sit through it. This is the very definition of dullness.

So far, this film is rated as 8 out of 10 on 7 votes. That must mean the director, director's girlfriend, producer, actress and drinking buddies have given their own film a 10.

For the rest of you, who simply want to be entertained or enjoy a good story, avoid this.

This man on the street shall give it a 2 out of 10.

FDA note: while this movie can be used as an aide to obtaining a good nights sleep, no medicinal value is implied or offered.
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1/10
C'est Pathetique!!!
calraees13 January 2007
This was the most god awful movie I have had to sit through. 30 minutes into the film and I couldn't take any more. Seriously, do not bother with this one unless you are a sentimental nut job or one of those pseudo-arty types that like this kind of tripe so that they may feel more cultured. Boring, although the acting is fine; the kid is just plain irritating. Some scenes are a little strange with very weird close-ups. I don't know why they did the whole movie in black and white, but whatever effect they were hoping to have failed miserably. There was just nothing to watch, and although its a sad tale, supposedly, its just so stupid that its hard to feel any sympathy for the characters.
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9/10
a movie that gives you goosebumps
sonjamiller13 January 2007
I have to admit that i was a bit surprised and astonished by this movie. It is somewhat reminiscent of The Sixth Sense for the main character is a young boy with certain powers that reach beyond the human reason. I also like the way it is directed because I'm a sucker for black and white movies especially if they are that way on purpose. The movie deals with traumas and different ways of coping with these traumas that life can create. It's wonderful and spooky at the same time. I was also surprised by the acting of the young Colton Lasater, this being his 1st movie (or so it is stated as his 1st here on IMDb). It's a definite must see.
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10/10
Compelling and beautiful film
greg-2536 June 2007
Saw this at the Clinton Street Theater in Portland, OR - and very impressed! Shot on B/W 35mm in the Portland area, this is a film that successfully blends simplicity and wonder - and really deserves repeated viewings.

One of my favorite short features - for its story about a son and mother dealing with grief - each in their own way.

Great direction, beautiful B/W cinematography, remarkable performances and a compelling story.

Has an almost Hichcockian flavor that delivers a satisfyingly dark twist to the finale.

Definitely a must-see...
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9/10
Very compelling, elegantly suspenseful.
alalialissa16 January 2007
I was not bored for a second during this film, and I'm not sure why others keep feeling this way. I thought it moved at a very quick pace, was tightly shot, scripted, and edited, and maintained a nice level of subtlety and mystery without being gruesomely graphic.

This film is not flashy; there are no explosions, no computer-rendered phantasma, no elaborate high-budget sets. It relies on the stark black-and-white imagery and characters to set mood and move the plot. This is the kind of movie I love: one that doesn't rely on cheap tricks, but on simple, elegant, old-fashioned artistry in film-making to produce a compelling flick.

Why aren't there more pieces like this out there?
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8/10
A slow moving but beautiful film.
JPitney-12 April 2007
This film may not be the most high speed thrill ride of your life, but if you are looking for artistry there is a lot at work here.

There were a lot of really good things in Addison's Wall. The thing that stood out the most was the fact that it took a simple story and made it a very interesting and engaging film. It takes the plainest details and somehow manages to make them interesting.

Great performances, as well as beautiful black and white visuals make the film really worth while. You didn't need a lot of dialogue, this film doesn't give you a map, but the director really ensured that you are connected with the characters.
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Unfinished and non engaging
Gordon-1118 January 2008
This film is about a grieving wife who lost her husband through suicide. She is tormented by her son who refused to speak after that.

Child grief is rarely explored on film, so it is refreshing to see a film like Addison's Wall. However, due to the very nature of the film, there is no tension or drama. Apart from a few key emotional moments, everything in the film is very plain. The abrupt ending that does not solve any mysteries certainly do not help the film to be more watchable. Addison's Wall could have been much better, such as exploration of the contents of the wall, a more intensive care program to help Addison to go through his trauma. Instead, the film feels very unfinished and non engaging.
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