Simon, 2004

Buddhism, Legal Marijuana, Mixed-Marriages (Asian, white, black), Judaism, Existentialism, Life, Death, Euthanasia (!), Atheism, Vegetarianism, Jet-Skis, Marriage, Vietnam movie extras, Sex, Success, and a gay pal, too. This movie is really sold wrong. It is about life, both good and bad, for adults in a socially liberal society (a bit like the U.S. but much more free in some personal ways, since it's taking place in the Netherlands), and the problems and rewards one finds in friendship--- sometimes of the most unexpected kinds. At first, I thought this was merely a very mildly amusing, rather ordinary and vulgar bit of drug-life comedy, but the evolution into something much deeper is a sneaking surprise. I am glad I waited through the first hour (which is why most people might give this just 3 or 4 stars). Maybe because it is Dutch, I took a chance on an intuition that this was not a so-what movie despite the mundane description. In fact, it is a movie about what it means to have friends, children, and to be alive---all in an indefatigable spirit of tolerance, adventure, and good humor. (Yes, the leading character makes money semi-legally---a moral qualm one can see past, if not necessarily endorse.) Simon, a very straight man, is a true if rather unlikely inspiration about some things, and so is the movie carrying his name. Strong men may sniffle a bit at the end. It's that kind of movie. 4.5 stars. 5.09

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