Simon Birch
Seen it?1998 | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Audiences rate it highly (6.9 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, though it had middling reviews (44% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a box office loss. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh and families. If you loved The Station Agent or A Man Called Otto, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Funny with heart, feel-good.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 54 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG: peril. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
Simon Birch and Joe Wenteworth are boys who have a reputation for being oddballs. Joe never knew his father, and his mother, Rebecca, is keeping her lips sealed no matter how much he protests. Simon, meanwhile, is an 11-year-old dwarf whose outsize personality belies his small stature. Indeed, he often assails the local reverend with thorny theological questions and joins Joe on his quest to find his biological father.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
44% on Rotten Tomatoes, 39 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$18 million worldwide on a $20 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 327K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson
- Ian Michael SmithSimon Birch
- Joseph MazzelloJoe Wenteworth
- Ashley JuddRebecca Wenteworth
- Oliver PlattBen Goodrich
- David StrathairnReverend Russell
- Dana IveyGrandmother Wenteworth
- Beatrice WindeHilde Grove
- Jan HooksMiss Leavey
- Cecilley CarrollMarjorie
- Sumela-Rose KeramidopulosAnn