Like the character Sidney Hall himself, there are few writers and directors as pure and honest as Shawn Christensen. Some familiar elements aside, this is easily one of the best films i've ever seen, and it does that so effortlessly by having a story to tell- and better yet- knowing how to tell it. I've been meaning to watch this film for a while now and I kept pushing it off, and I encourage anyone reading this to take me for the fool I am and do the opposite. The film was absolutely panned by critics and made little to nothing at the box office- grossing just a few dollars shy of $1 million. All of those signs often point to a film being a disaster, and to be honest, I haven't heard a single person mention this film even once. Almost as if it was fate, I found a copy at my local library and finally sat down to watch it- and it's honestly one of the best films i've ever seen. What critics don't get about many movies is a rawness of emotion. There are so many different elements to this film, but one consistent thing throughout its ability to delve into darker and more saddening themes. Some called it melodramatic, but there is a huge difference between this film and being melodramatic. SO MANY films i've watched recently have such a forced sense of emotion, and an even more forced take on it by the actors at hand. It may be saddening to watch, but the film itself is not over-emotional, in fact it's one of the most beautifully haunting stories i've ever seen in a film. What we lack in empathy for each other and for the mistakes we make I feel often tears us apart as a society, and this film just goes to show that many critics clearly have no idea what is truly real in the world of film. Everything about this film is magnificent, from the characters, the story, the actors, the cinematography, and the films fantastic score. Logan Lerman is the absolute perfect casting choice as out titular character, and his performance is surprisingly and brilliantly matched by actress Elle Fanning, and actors Kyle Chandler, Blake Jenner, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It's so eloquently told without ever feeling overly pretentious or sentimental. Never has a film of this caliber been executed so well and been graced with a story so profound to tell. Shawn Christensen is a talent to look out for- and this film is his grand opum- and I hope both him and the film will finally earn the credit they deserve.

My Rating: 10/10.

The reason that the film "Sidney Hall" has attracted a virtual cult following is its insightful portrayal of the creative process of a writer. The film tells the story of a prodigy, who is able at a young age to complete two bestselling novels.

Sidney's initial success, "Suburban Tragedy," is based on his personal experience with one of his high school classmates. The film jumps around in flashbacks to eventually reveal the emotionally wrenching story of what happened to the friend, how Sidney shaped the story into art, and how it eventually nearly destroyed him.

The fragmented structure of the film with so many jump cuts may be off-putting to many viewers. But it offers a kaleidoscope of Sidney's life due to a fascinating set of characters. There is the emotionally damaged mother who abuses Sidney. There is the gentle, disabled father who seems to understand the pain suffered by the son. There is the kind high school English teacher who recognizes Sidney's potential. And there is the wacky New York agent played with great gusto by Nathan Lane.

Perhaps the most intriguing secondary character is the mysterious Francis Bishop, an older writer with whom Sidney is competing for the Pulitzer Prize. Bishop develops an obsession for finding out the true story of Sidney's life. In what could have been a character serving as an artificial plot device, the role of Bishop is invested with great sensitivity by the actor Kyle Chandler.

The only character that did not quite work was Sidney's girlfriend and future wife, Melody Jamison (Elle Fanning). Somehow Sidney had forgotten that he had kissed Melody when they were first-graders. Forgotten? Really? The entire relationship was not convincing in the way the other, more poignant character interactions were developed in this fascinating, multi-layered film.

So, if you're planning on watching this:

1. DON'T WATCH THE TRAILER. go in completely blind 2. be prepared cause it's a heavier watch than it seems (A24 needs to come up with less soul crushing stuff) 3. it's gonna get a lot of hate, probably will be called bad/predictable/mediocre at best by so many (didn't expect to adore it myself) but i loved it. lerman put some serious effort i didn't think he really had in him, and i liked the non linearity. maybe it's really just me being overly impressed but still please give this a chance.