A teenager with an early onset of baldness befriends his high school’s janitor and tries to win the hearts of his new friends and classmates.
The Truth :
Harold flew under the radar, even though the comedy has a couple big names in the production. Cuba Gooding Jr and Ally Sheedy star in this comedy about a 13 yr old boy with male-pattern baldness and a very sharp mind.
Harold has to deal with moving from a town where he was popular and accepted, to a new city and school after his single mother {ally Sheedy} takes a transfer at work.
Throw in a the high school bully, an attractive outgoing sister {Stella Maeve} and one outcast janitor {Gooding Jr} and you have the plot for the film. Ally Sheedy plays the role of single mom perfectly, its hard to get past the makeup she was wearing. They made her appear to be an old weathered cougar/soccer mom … a little too well.
I was taken back and made to feel old when I realized that stunning brunette from The Breakfast Club is already 46 years old. 46? Where have the years gone?
The Verdict :
Harold has a few funny moments and a genuine amount of cliche’s and situations you’ve seen before. His receeding hairline isn’t really enough to base a movie around, it struggles for laughs more often than not.
Gooding Jr was really entertaining in the film, he plays the his part wonderfully well and perfectly. I really enjoy him in comedic roles and hope he continues along that path. The film markets itself around the idea its a Napolean Dynamite spinoff, but it isn’t.
Harold is a decent enough movie to recommend, just don’t expect to be hit with too many new laughs, angles or scenarios.
Tags: Ally Sheedy, Comedy, Cuba Gooding Jr, Sept 08
This is an underrated movie folks, rent it.
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