Sadly Over-hyped

One of my all time favorites.

Memorable, crazy movie

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Yes entertaining and a tearjerker, but terrible acting and writing. Nothing in the plot really fits together and oh such stiff acting. Christian movie-making has a long way to come based on this. On the other hand, I watched with my 10 and 12 year olds and it was non-offensive and had some positive messages. Still, so bad overall that I would not recommend.

As I write this review I'm crying like a baby. The movie has just finished. Not many movies reduce me to tears like this one. There are few words that could describe the sensitivity of this story. It deals with not only the major illness of muscular dystrophy but also the misunderstood condition of hyperactivity. The innocence of a little boy who always found himself in trouble with the powers that be but he didn't understand why that if anything at all went wrong, he was always to blame. A teacher who used clichés that are readily understood by adults is frustrated when a child doesn't understand what she is saying so he uses his resources to undercover the meaning, only to believe she means the opposite. When the movie began I cringed at the acting abilities of some of the cast but as the story developed, I forgot to cringe and the storyline is strong enough to overcome acting limitations.I gave Different Drummers a 9/10 because of the sensitive way that two medical conditions were brought together through children... one with no energy and one with too much.

I first read the book, which was great and highly recommend it for kids, teens and adults. Unlike many film adaptations of a true story, this film really took what I had read, formed in my imagination and made the characters come alive. Brayden Tucker portraying the hyperactive Lyle Hatcher was absolutely brilliant. Ethan Reed McKay played a convincing, believable David Dahlke. This film brought me back to my own childhood in so many ways. It was a wonderful portrayal of friendship and families and school in the 1960s. The complex issues of death, disease, and being different are shown through the eyes of these two lovable, "sometimes naughty" boys. I think it's a must-see for anyone who interacts with a child with disabilities. Lyle doesn't seem to realize that David's limitations are anything that should stand in the way of their fun or their friendship. Warning-- bring tissues!

I think this movie did an excellent job of portraying the meaning of friendship,the mystery of why bad things happen to good people, the frustration of fighting through injustice, and the complexity of self-doubt, wondering both whether we have done enough for our cause, and what role,if any, God plays in our problems.It was a very simple story and a very emotional one, plus it was one to which it was easy for just about anyone to relate. It was also much more emotional that I expected, and there were many handkerchiefs and Kleenexes in use during the movie.Both of the lead actors quickly became believable and real. The distinction between how Lyle affected his principal, and how he affected many other adults was an example of which all adults should take note, too.