Tiger Eyes Movie Review

Words been picturised: Mother wrote an excellent novel and son faithfully translated into a film.

Plot:  New life of Davey (Willa Holland) was not she wanted and expected. A father’s death turns the table of life and young Davey had to face it all new, all unknown, and bewildered after her hapless mother (Amy Jo Johnson) moves to “atom bomb” town of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Having difficulty of “to be and not to be” the only person she finds to understand her soul is a mysterious Native- American boy Wolf (Tatanka Means). He calls her “tiger” and it’s the romantic connection weaved within them that takes the movie and their life ahead. Both the cast have handled this with care and delicacy it is their apt performances that brought out emotions on screen, justifying Judy Blume (writer).

Like Judy Blume novels (Are you there, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Maybe I Won’t) the film mainly revolves around Davey, young girl character that Judy explores through novels. Her son and director Lawrence Blume has written the screenplay keeping up the tenderness and solitude that Judy has penned. Having a strong text adds strong foundation to film and Lawrence having got that made a pleasant movie. He caught the cinematic elements by being faithful to the writer, and the result is complimenting. The cast is strong and are in resonance with the characters of Judy. The cinematography abruptly captures the absurdity of life conveying loss, self-discovery that relates with a vast audience.

But the film fades out at some moment but turn up again risking from being flat. The climax is emotional and as the emotionally thrilled novel, the film renders emotions, cultivating tenderness and romance with the fruit being pleasant.

Verdict: The film is a translation from word to a picture and like most cases it loses something. The book gives more than the film. Overall, it’s a good watch especially the young who need understanding to their self-discovery and enhancement on a relationship because the cast has played it remarkably.