DVD Review

Browning Version

The Browning Version plays upon similar territory as Dead Poets Society (B) and the more recent Emperor?s Club (B-), involving behaviors at a private school and the inspiration of teachers. The problem with Browning Version is that it?s got the cast but not the appropriate screenplay; the producers have the right director, it seems, but the material at hand is just too dull ? it almost needs its own inspirational teacher to give it light.

Albert Finney stars as Andrew Crocker-Harris, an older but experienced Greek teacher at a British private school who is considered to be a new-age Hitler amongst his students with his stiff and strict nature. When he is forced into retirement (due to health), experiencing turbulence within his marriage at the same time, Harris reflects on his image and must come to grips with his career, especially when a young student gives him the inspiration he has needed.

Feel-good/formula movies can work magic with me, but the screenplay has to be nicely constructed; with Dead Poets Society and Emperor?s Club, the scripts placed the viewer right with the characters, making the audience feel just like them. With Browning Version, Finney?s persona is a hard character to like, and whereas with Robin Williams in Dead Poets, Williams was very controlling in his performance and it was hard to take one?s eyes off of him.

Finney is simply that middle school or high school teacher whom all his students were hesitant to show up to his class every day, fearing the unknown. This storytelling approach can work, but I never felt compassion toward his presence and never cared whether or not he ever was well respected amongst his peers; he is just the ogre you wanted to avoid on campus.

As a script, the character is a tough one to sell, as being strict and stiff is a challenge if the character must have a breakthrough at some time or another; the viewer has to hate him at first sight and love him in the end. With Browning Version, I didn?t have to watch the entire experience play out, being that I wasn?t necessarily attached to anyone; whether Finney broke through with his students? acceptance was not an important factor ? it was just yet another average formula story.

Movies like these find an audience that cheers the story on, and that is why they are still made today with films like I Am Sam, Radio, and a whole lineup of other inspirational fables. But with so many movies with more or less the same guidelines, there?s got to be a catch or unique factor involved for a differentiation factor. We pretty much know where Browning Version is going before we even watch it, which places importance on the premise, as it needs to be gripping or at least remarkable in order for there to be a reward at the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, there is not much going on in this film except for the usual formula tricks these concepts have to offer; though there are some fairly reasonable performances amongst its cast, the film doesn?t play its magic within the story, forcing Browning Version to be a rather one-note film.

DVD Features:
- Widescreen

Audio Features:
- (English) 5.1 Surround Sound
- (English) Dolby Surround
- (French) Stereo
- (English) Subtitles

Lee's Grade: C+
Ranked #43 of 45 between Mixed Nuts (#42) and Cabin Boy (#44) for 1994 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%