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Description
A boy, struggling to pass the entrance exam to his late father's alma mater and virtually ignored by his mother and two sisters, asks Justin Mcleod, a solitary ex-teacher with a tragic past, to tuter him. as thetwo apply themselves to the task at hand, they build a friendship with the power to heal the wounds of their past.
Amazon.com
Making this movie represented a rather risky venture for Mel Gibson--it was his first effort at directing, and the role demanded that he deliberately obscure his sexy matinee-idol looks. Gibson seems to truly relish his Lon Chaney Jr.-esque turn as Justin McLeod, a reclusive former teacher with half his face and body badly scarred, and a dark, secret past. The folks in McLeod's postcard-pretty Maine town have dubbed him "Hamburger Head" and exchange malicious gossip about him. But one boy is needy enough to dare to penetrate the fortress McLeod has built against the outside world. Fatherless Chuck Norstadt (Nick Stahl) is so anxious to escape his dysfunctional family that he pesters McLeod into becoming his mentor. Their relationship for the most part avoids the sort of sticky sentimentality one might expect from Hollywood. Chuck is a real, credible kid, a petulant pain with a chip on his shoulder, and McLeod is no Mr. Chips. It's fun, and quite moving, to watch these two cranky misfits battle their way toward a friendship that will change both their lives. Margaret Whitton (Major League) gives an unaffected performance as Chuck's narcissistic mother. "I'm just not cut out for this mothering racket," she tells her rudderless children, as she flits from man to man. Gibson's own personal code of honor, we suspect, is very much in evidence in this movie's message: One must take responsibility for what one wants in life. --Laura Mirsky
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Coming-of-age tale., 2008-08-12
The Man Without a Face starring and directed by Mel Gibson is a superb drama with a little bit of comedy thrown in. Gibson's performance is so strong and intense, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Nick Stahl is also excellent and I think this was his feature film debut if I am correct, glad he continues to act today. This film deals with an unlikely friendship in a narrow-minded town, I really enjoyed this film from beginning to end. I highly recommend it!!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Good lessons to be learned!!!, 2008-07-25
This is a really good movie and I think one of Mel's best. Although he appears disfigured in this movie, it is a great chance to really see him act. This movie is very well made and is thought provoking. It is not done in typical fashion either, meaning that the end is left wide open for you to draw your own conclusion as to the future of the characters.
The best lesson of this movie is - don't judge a book by it's cover, or even better still - don't judge.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
A Boy Without A Mirror, 2008-07-19
This movie was based upon a script, which only superficially
resembles a book with the same title. That book was a work
of darkness, whereas the script is something totally different,
a work of light. Sort of like the filter at the end of a
cigarette removing impurities, that book turned into a script,
which turned into a movie, which bares only a superficial
resemblence to that book. No, I did not read that book, but
judge that book to be a work of darkness, based upon the
descriptions given by other reviewers, which clearly demonstrate
that the book does not resemble the movie. The movie does not
depict the boy Norstad as being an individual who would lie down
with mankind as with womankind, as the book apparently did.
This movie is about a man's devotion to teaching, a boy's need
for a role model, and society's revulsion at the idea of a man
mentoring a boy, what "feminists" call "partriarchy". This
movie displays a kind of understated hatred towards they who
engage in behaviour which the Bible (KJV) calls abomination:
See, Leviticus 18:22. But reading the reviews of others, it
seems a lot of persons out there want desperately for others
to believe this movie somehow expresses "tolerance"
(acceptance) for they who are "different". No, this movie
affirms that behaviour matters. Behaviour, such as making a
false accusation, matters.
Through lies and name-calling the reputation of a decent man
is destroyed, and he is unable or unwilling, to relate to
others, until a persistent boy opens his heart once more to
the possibility of being a teacher, and the joy that teaching
another brings. His face has been burned. And so, is it his
appearance that people find offensive, his skin colour (or
lack thereof), his gender, or is it his behaviour?
A contrast is created between McCleod and the boy's mother's
boyfriends, who are university educated. But her boyfriends
did not receive a love for truth. They see education as a
means to an end, and not an end unto itself. They see
education as a means to obtain employment, career advancement,
a paycheck, with which to acquire the "affections" of a woman.
They lack honesty and goodness, whereas McCleod's life
emphasizes a desire for Truth and Love. What McCleod gives
(offers) the boy is a desire for character. McCleod offers
the boy, what other "men" cannot offer him, WISDOM.
Norstad is ultimately affected by the prejudice shown by others
towards McCleod, and the question is will he stand with McCleod,
or desert him. It is a sentiment which McCleod expresses to the
boy when he tells him that he will not do his thinking for him.
Rather than allow the boy to be satisfied with a teacher's
answer, he demands of the boy, "Think, Norstad. Think." He does
not want the boy to turn into a robot, taking the easy way out,
looking for somebody to just tell him what to do, as in the
addage, "I vaz jus vollowing orders". He does not want Norstad
to be a student who just wants to know the answers to a test,
who wants to pass without bothering to understand the question,
or the answers, learning nothing.
The lack of love shown towards Norstad by his female relations
is troubling to watch, as is the envy demonstrated towards
him, when his sister finds Norstad developing LITERACY skills.
It is sad to see his sister's boyfriend, who comes across as
illiterate and who is so much bigger than Norstad, attacking
the boy, to please Norstad's sister.
This film is beautiful, for it celebrates intelligence, literacy,
education, the desire for wisdom, learning, and understanding.
And it makes the connection between these things and the quest
for truth and love, the importance of honesty and goodness.
Qualities which are found lacking in others, educated or not.
This movie also portrays males as victims, and females as
victimizers, which is rare, unless you are watching a film about
a sorority of vampires. Also, how many films can you think of
which demonstrate a bond between a father and a son, which have
not been directed by Mel Gibson, a believing Christian? Frankly,
I thought this movie should have won for best picture in 1993,
but it was not even nominated. It is better I think than the
movie, Braveheart, which did win in 1995. Both films were
directed by Mel Gibson, but this I think was more deserving of
the "Best Picture nod".
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
 Director debut for Mel Gibson, 2008-07-14
Gibson directed and starred in this very interesting tale of a young boy and a man with a facial scar and a mysterious part. This is also the debut for Nick Stahl as the young boy. His acting ability is evident here to lead him to such roles as John Connor in Terminator 3.
Based on a true story, the film evidently leaves out some lurid details. Two top actors.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Best movie of Mel Gibson, 2007-10-05
This is very touching film about the human nature, we can see the good and bad things that as humanas we can do.
This film shows how a kid with many problems, got the streng to overcome his problems thanks to one of the most important things in the world: friendship.
In this times when "adults are afraid to be friends of young people", this movie make us to remember, how the friendship is not limited by the age, and how the prejudices and ignorance can destroy a positive relation.
In this movie we can see a very good performance from Mel Gibson, not as his recent movies made to show him like a "simple beutiful guy"
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