Standing Up

Children can be so cruel. The protagonists of Island Adventure are reminded of this in the opening scene. Howie (Chandler Canterbury) and Grace (Annalise Basso), 12, are stripped naked by their peers and left stranded on a small island a mile away from Camp Tall Pine, North Carolina. The game is a camp tradition that goes back generations. The targets are called "goats", which makes their abandonment site "Goat Island". Instead of returning to the group and suffering even more humiliation, the two decide to try to find their way home. The small journey of three days provokes an intense process of self-knowledge.

It's a children's story based on "The Goats," a best-selling young adult novel by Brock Cole that apparently contained darker elements. The generic title "Standing Up" (in the original) registers as a mildly inspiring yet familiar tale of teenagers facing bullying. The presence of familiar faces like Radha Mitchell and Val Kilmer might garner some interest for this low-budget effort from director D. J. Caruso (The Salton Sea), whose directing credits include the thrillers "Disturbia," "Eagle Eye" and "I Am Number Four." That makes it a family movie made by someone who doesn't normally make family movies. Announces this in the opening shot of the forest reflected in a solemn Grace's car window, which establishes this production as more polished and cinematic than you'd expect. It's not Hugo, but what is it?

After meeting, the two teenagers decide not to offer the attackers the expected diversion, Howie and Grace seize the opportunity, escape and break into a nearby cabin, where they find cookies and some ill-fitting clothes. Grace calls her newly divorced, hard-working mother (Radha Mitchell) asking to come home, but not knowing the extent of her torment, the mother urges the girl to stick it out for the second half of the six-week camp. Instead, the two good-natured young men try to survive on their own, accepting that circumstances require them to lie and steal a little to survive. Both embark on their own three-day adventure, awaiting the arrival of Grace's lawyer mother.

Seeing as how "Standing Up" tries to say something about bullying, however, in a roundabout way, it actually achieves this. At its most obvious level, it means standing up to a bully - don't put up with his cruelty and torment. It can also mean standing up for someone else. Even if the situation scares you, or the bully seems terribly intimidating, help someone else in need and don't sit idly by when someone is doing you harm. And finally, the title implies something deeper, more metaphorical about not letting the harsh words and actions of others make you fear the world, but coming out stronger from the experience.

All three of these connotations are represented in one way or another in this very familiar children's film, but the last one is the most interesting as it seems to be the overarching theme guiding and gluing this little summer camp adventure together. After being stripped naked and marooned on an island, Howie and Grace develop a solid, sometimes romantic bond as they decide never to return to camp and decide to trek through the islands and forests until Grace's mother (Radha Mitchell) can rescue them. On their journey, the pair come across another camp for troubled teens, learn to survive with their wits, and are picked up by a rather creepy Val Kilmer, playing a local cop driving a scary truck.

The humiliating experience is particularly hard on Grace, an incredibly shy girl, who dreams of someday working for NASA, but the stronger and more capable Howie hardly seems fazed by it, as if he's used to the torment and ridicule of others. She is incapable of telling the simplest lie to a hot dog vendor as he excuses her for stealing with clothes and holding onto the loot to someday repay it. With the police and camp counselors looking for them far and wide, the little runaways spend the night at another youth camp, where Howie not only defends himself, but also defends his new best friend from an overly aggressive older boy. Later, Grace finally learns to think carefully and say the right thing to get a free night at a motel.

Grace, whose real name is Shadow Golden, is interested in becoming an astronaut and wanted to attend space camp. Howie claims his archaeologist parents are working in Greece. The two don't even exchange names until an hour into the movie and this could easily have been a cute joke, but instead it's a believable touch that conveys the different social language the kids speak. The movie's strangest turn involves Perry Hofstadder (Val Kilmer), a creepy man who may or may not be a deputy sheriff, whom the kids regret reluctantly accepting a ride. There's also a strange kid at Camp Evergreen, apparently designed to honor Kilmer with a Top Gun-style bite for his advances on Grace. These are the rare notes you can question in a film full of desperation driving its young characters to commit dangerous and criminal acts.

It doesn't take long for audiences to discover that the two kids are doing a lot more than just running away from camp or seeing the kids who played a cruel joke on them. The emotional drama that punctuates this short road movie is also where Canterbury and Basso really shine, displaying a remarkable level of maturity and depth in some scenes. Basso's cowardice, fear, and lack of self-confidence are related to her having no friends and dealing with divorced parents. Canterbury's wit and intrepidity come from growing up with archaeologist parents, but it's clear the boy is keeping secrets. However, this is where the film's title suggests a broader metaphorical theme, as children learn to deal with personal issues.

But while its theme of youth empowerment inevitably strikes an emotional chord, the film never quite manages to achieve any dramatic steam, dragging along in a mildly amusing but essentially bland way. That it works as it does is largely due to the appeal of its young lead actors, who vividly convey their characters' growing confidence and emotional bond as they endure their shared pains. Devoid of humor or the sense of menace that would make the process more emotionally involved, "Standing Up" represents a missed opportunity. Even your younger target audience is unlikely to respond with anything more than mild indifference.

Despite the whole bullying thing being what's talked about when it comes to this movie, thankfully it's not really the main focus. In any case, "Standing Up" reminds you that, as much as bullying is a problem among peers, part of the problem is not just the child's age bully, but the parents who are also the bullies. However, while the theme of bullying is part of the film, the real focus is Grace and Howie's journey, in which Basso and Canterbury really display a nice emotional complexion that is often lacking in teenage characters. Although children are often part of stories in which dramatic, nay, traumatic things happen, they are usually cast in a supporting role, so while their feelings are present, they are often secondary.

With "Standing Up", however, you can see these two young people portraying the trauma of being ostracized, the awkwardness of receiving kindness from a stranger and even watching them become interdependent is strange, but at the same time fun. Basso, for example, grows as a character from a fearful and insecure girl to a girl who seems to have learned what confidence is, and while Howie certainly helped, at the same time you can't say that what she learns is entirely based on her adventure. With the boy. As for Canterbury, the young man shows the same kind of emotional depth that is important to the character.

This is a movie about children that seems to be more appreciated by adults. Children generally prefer movies that entertain them to movies that make them think. "Standing Up" isn't an art house movie, but neither is it the movie equivalent of a Nickelodeon or Disney Channel original. It feels much closer in spirit to the kinds of kids' movies Caruso would have grown up watching. The main characters are well defined and are given interesting traits and backstories, far beyond the thick, oversized glasses each is introduced with. Beautifully photographed by Alex Nepomniaschy, "Standing Up" transitions visually and thematically from the dark recesses of the cabin where Howie and Grace first meet to the wide, gold-lit trail where their adventure ends - their shyness and fear replaced. For trust and friendship. But with one of the book's most harrowing incidents eliminated and Howie robbing Grace of the opportunity to show resourcefulness, the film avoids punishing her arrogance, opting instead for self-realization of well-being.

OK, so if the producers do not make a 2nd movie for this super, fantastic, amazing, adorable, cute, movie, i will be so mad! i really loved the characters, the relationship between the kids. I really love the characters. This movie is such a good movie, I think they should make another with the same characters! The end really leaves you hanging though........ That is why I think there should be movie #2! Because if there is not, I will be a sad, broken hearted little teen, who needs to see the 2nd movie, but can't because the producers will not make another! I strongly believe there should be another movie, same same same characters!!!! Because if Chandler Canterbury, is not in it, you will be sorry! I really really really loved this movie, but it needs another. Im sorry, i do not know what the second part of a movie is called, but there needs to be one! Thank you! And I will make sure there is another one!

This movie left me wondering if the author and/or director are pedophiles. I thought this was a family movie but was horrified to watch it with my children. The sexual tension between these 12 year old kids throughout the movie was just plain creepy. They start out being left naked on an island. the girl wakes up the next morning on the shore of a river, having been covered by the boy with a blanket. They steal clothes to wear and the girl pulls her pants down far enough to prove to the boy that she is not wearing panties. There is a sexually charged scene where preteens are slow-dancing at a summer camp, groping each other and making out. The boy and girl wind up spending the night together in a motel room in the same bed (no implication that anything happens). There is a shot of the girl in the shower. Any positive anti-bullying message was completely overshadowed by the inappropriateness of depicting children as sexual beings. This movie was just plain sick and should be viewed by no one.

I was just stunned, totally speechless. How come this movie is not so popular is a million dollar question asked myself. This movie must reach everyone especially the family audience and the kids. A best children's movie I have seen after a long time, maybe after 'Bridge to Terabithia' and 'A Little Princess'. I mean I liked many others between these movies but this one gave me kinda rare experience to feel the depth of the problem that faced by the tween kids. Yeah the movie talks mainly about the physically weak kids who are easy targets to bully. From their perspective 'Standing Up' tells the victims self discovery.

If there is an award for children's movies in Oscar similar to animation movies and foreign movies, I would give to this one without thinking twice. This movie is not only a simple movie but a fine message deliverer like the rare movie like 'October Baby' etc. These kinda movies require more recognition, sadly fails to do as commercially. But if you get a chance to see don't miss it and recommend to others as well.

'Standing Up' was based on the young adult novel called 'Goat Island'. It centers around two characters Howie and Grace who are the victims in their summer camp prank. These two are stripped naked and left alone in an island by their mates. Instead returning back to the camp in the morning they run away in order to avoid the humiliation. During their journey to nowhere they successfully achieve that what have to be done to survive. They find the strength in their unity and also the self discovery. The journey that changed their lives forever.

Both the lead kids were supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. I felt they already gave their career best performances in their early age. Excellent direction from the director of 'Eagle Eye'. I don't know what others say but I consider it is his best movie so far from his filmography. The background score was very catchy and melodic, perfectly fitted with the presentation. The second half was emotionally appealed a lot and music was one of the reasons for that. There was a scene I liked the most in the movie where Grace phones her mother and her mother says something about Howie. On that particular scene she turns towards Howie, wow, that was the amazing one, emotionally touching. There are only a few movies in the world that makes us to have more and more and never want to end. Yeah this movie did that to me. 'Standing Up' is rare and must see movie, hope y'all won't miss after reading my review. An highly recommended by my side.

9.5/10

The film was overall positive, and it is rare to find a film like this. Bullying is very common in films and some were claimed to be exaggerated, but we all know what was real. This film told a story of two "goats", as they referred the chosen pairs who were left on the island, who together take an escape from the terrible trap. The kids are clever and daring--the boy, Howie, I reckon he is supposed to be raised by a couple of scientists or at least a parent who will think neatly, like making a list of things they should replace--but I like how they made them still kids, innocent and easy to be afraid and anxious. They have begun to think and behave like adults, they take actions to survive like grown-ups, but in the end they are still kids. It makes me wonder how quick kids grow up nowadays.

It might be not clear in the films, but I reckon it reflects how graphic romantic acts shown all over the place- -public place, on TV--have an impact toward younger kids. There is a groping and kissing scene in the film that I should say inappropriate, but sadly, I have witnessed a lot of things more inappropriate than that in daily life. It requires more effort if you watch this with kids. There are things they will not understand. The film also shows that there are place where kids are safe from bullies.

I prefer the film watched by grown-ups, not children. I reckon it is like the famous Japanese cartoon series "Crayon Shin-chan", supposed to be a satiric show towards parents. This film, like a lot of films had suggested time after time, I think, tries to say to parents: listen to your kids, talk to them, make them comfortable to share the truth with you, that way you can protect them.