User reviews

Carson Phillips (Chris Colfer) is a high school agitator. He runs the school newspaper where nobody other than him has submitted any stories. He is the school outcast, and he hatches a plan to blackmail everybody to submit stories to his literary magazine.

I love the cast in this movie, but Chris Colfer really needs to rework this story. It rambles on, all the while we know the guy is going to die by lightning strike. The story feels underdeveloped, and in the end pointless. While I love the actors, the characters are all very 2 dimensional. Chris Colfer's character comes off as too whiny and too angry. He is so myopic that he doesn't even realize he has a friend. I love Rebel Wilson, but she isn't allowed the freedom to go crazy. The whole thing is one big woe-is-me. As a black comedy, it doesn't get very deep and it really doesn't get very funny.

I had no expectation at all when I started the movie, all I knew was Kurt Hummel (I am a gleek!) played it. The movie is not excellent, but it won't make you fast forward it. The story is clever and inspiring. I love how I can see the different side from Chris Colfer can be (As I am a gleek, easy to make comparison.) Without the fancy clothes of Kurt, fierce diva mode-off Chris actually can leak out his acting talent, something we can't see often.

At last, the roller came up, written by Chris, I can't believe it, and had second thought, no wonder the plot and the attitude release a sense of freshness. I just love Chris more , not only his voice anymore.

This film tells the story of a young man in high school, who has set his sight at a certain university to do a specific programming. On order to increase his chances of getting in, he has to use everything he knows of to get people to contribute essays for his newly created literary magazine.

The plot may sound fun and interesting, but it turns out to be not as funny as I expected it to be. The plot is plainly delivered, without dramatic moments or laugh out loud moments. Not even Rebel Wilson can make it funny! The only saving grace is Alison Janney, who is good as a single mother destroyed by a failed marriage. Maybe "Struck By Lightning" relies on dark humour, but it's not dramatic or engaging enough to work

OK, so the whole part about being struck by lightning and dying is very silly and pointless to the whole story. It literally serves no purpose to the rest of the story. It seems the ending (which was shown in the beginning also just to set the fence around the movie) could have been anything, literally anything and the movie would have worked fine. He could have gone to college and it would have sent identical message.

So, anyways, moving past the ridiculous end, the story is good, the acting is good and I really like the way Chris Colfer manages to convey strong dialogs without making it seem over dramatic. He seems genuine. So points to him for that.

So this won't be the best film you've ever seen in your life, truth, but it will definitely not be a waste of your time.

Must say I'm not a big fan of Colfer's writing, but this particular story succeeded in holding my attention. Why? Its difference. Not another "high school drama", this one shows some substantiality. Might be cliché, but you do relate with some situations throughout the film and end up satisfied by outcomes so 'down to earth'. The film has enough potential to make you laugh, cry and easily stop and take a second look at your life, at yourself. So I guess it's all about its message. There were times I actually forgot I was watching a movie, because it felt like I was reading someone's diary. That's how raw it is. Mostly, are you a writer? Intend to be one? You've just found yourself another reason to watch it.

"[...] that's how I live my life. From one dream to the next".

I must say, I expected completely different thing when I saw poster for this movie. However, it was not only better, but different than any other movie I watched recently. It shows how life is actually difficult for some teenagers, not those typical 'I am not prom queen, I'm so unpopular, nobody likes me, I want to get laid blah blah' stories. I really enjoyed acting, complete story is just amazing. I recommend everyone to see it, because it shows that there are far worse problems than wondering if you look good, or if you have boyfriend and other clichés that are mostly shown in teen movies. One more thing, previous review is obviously written by someone who does not appreciate Chris, and it is entirely wrong.

I had never heard of this movie, but I caught it as it was starting on TV last night, and in the absence of anything else good to watch I decided to give it a go, at the end of the movie.... In fact, long after the end of the movie I was still thinking about it.

Plot In A Paragraph: A high school boy desperate to escape his hometown and move to New York, attend the college of his dreams and do something other than live in the foot steps of his drunken, divorced mother. He recounts how he blackmailed his fellow students into contributing to his literary magazine and discovers what its like to feel accomplished.

I really liked this movie, Chris Colfer is outstanding as Carson, and Allison Janney is brilliant as his mother. Dermot Mulroney offers steady support and Sarah Hyland is a lot of fun as the stuck up cheerleader, whilst Rebel Wilson is her usual reliable self as Malerie.

How bad is this ? Well, let's just say that it is struck by every cliché it tries to cram in 84 minutes. Some reviewers are writing that this is an important film, but they do not state why it is important. i would have to draw my own conclusion that they think it serves as a message for gay people and/or social outcast. This message has been done many times over in much better films. Unfortunately Chris Colfer shows that his acting on Glee is not really acting, but playing himself. Colfer serves as the writer of this film shows me that he has a personal agenda to lash his vicious claws at everyone that does not support his agenda. The only thing good about the film are the supporting actors, which are all wonderful actors, but the script leaves the actors and the audience struck by...boredom and self-righteousness. i suggest that you skip this film and watch Juno or any coming-of-age film from the 80's for some laughs.

It is not a flawless film by any means, but few are. However it does address something that few movies about high school do; which is the dichotomy between students who live in the moment and think those years are the end all and be all, and those who see it as a finite time to get through for the longer (and hopefully better) future.

The main character's tragedy (among many) is not his ultimate fate but in that in seeking to get though the school years and not enjoying them (or what little there is to find happiness in) misses it, by being focused solely by getting out.

In contrast the other teenage characters (Rebel Wilson's being an exception) have blinders on; in terms of both acceptance of other people and of the existence of the larger world and that they will have to enter it and so forth.

Are there clichés? Yes, but high school students are much the same everywhere so that is an issue of reality and life and not the limitations of the screenwriter.

Are the scenes between Carson and the adults more compelling? Of course, but that is because adults by definition have more life experience (good and bad) to make them more intriguing.

Ultimately, the movie's flaws are minor compared to the whole. It is smart, dead on in observation (especially in regards to the parental and authority figures interaction with Carson and family dynamics), and the casting is brilliant, with one exception.

That would be Dylan McDermotte. Who, besides their mothers, can tell him apart from Dermut Mulroney?

Almost every aspect of Struck by Lightning infuriated me. Chris Colpher is a kid wise beyond his years who likes to spout cynical and philosophical dialogue every chance he gets. This is annoying from the get-go. There isn't a single real or likable character in the entire film. They're all caricatures, as Mr. Colpher himself professes. Rebel Wilson has great comedic potential and I was looking forward to comedic relief in an otherwise unfunny black comedy but she's wasted talent here. Not one line of dialogue in the film rings true and I'd be disappointed if a film like this inspires teens. Unless of course it inspires them to blackmail their entire class into submission. I'd be okay with that. Not really...

This film wasn't what I was expecting - but still enjoyed it.

A warning - don't expect it to be like Glee, it won't leave you feeling uplifted at the end. Having seen the trailer and Rebel Wilson, I assumed this was going to be a comedy, but its actually quite tragic and sad - there are few laughs though.

It actually reminds me of the film 'Orange County' (with Colin Hanks and Jack Black). Carson like Hank's character is trying to escape his difficult family circumstances and go to college and then on to a successful career. Orange County is a little more light hearted though.

Its a good effort by Chris Colfer and out of all the Glee cast I can see him being the most successful. He could be another Ryan Murphy in the making - only nice.

I found nothing about this movie enjoyable and am baffled at those who rated it so highly. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities and it was impossible to identify with them. There was a coldness and negativity that was palpable throughout the movie. Chris Colfer's character was a pompous, egotistical and self-centered person who blackmailed his fellow students into going along with his agenda. What kind of person threatens to "out" two gay students for his own purpose? Rebel Wilson wasn't able to offer anything to this movie and I blame that on the writing. I'm sorry I wasted my time watching this. Thank goodness I didn't pay for it in the movie theater.