A documentary about teen magicians preparing to compete for the title of Teen World Champion? Huh? Whatever your preconceived notions may be, you’ll be amazed at the talent and the commitment of these young adults. Make Believe follows six teens from different corners of the world, but their passion is the same; magic.
The film comes from Ed Cunningham and Seth Gordon, the producers behind The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters(which you may remember was quite good). Finding that out didn’t surprise me, as the film has the same kind of heart to it. First time director, J. Clay Tweel(who also worked on Fistful) manages to move back and forth between each teen at the same time building a main story line leading up to the Teen World Champion competition in Las Vegas.
This is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life; they don’t know any other way. Being a teenager is tough, and these teens have found something that they are good at and brings them joy. (We should all be so lucky). They are each at the beginning of their journey and only time will tell if they are able to make their passion into a career.
By the time I reached the end of the movie, I couldn’t decide who I wanted to win the competition and was rooting for each of them. I enjoyed the film quite a bit and I especially liked seeing the varying skills and how each were able to attain/learn in such different ways. It’s quite amazing how much time and energy these young people put into their passion.
Rating: Light, fun and inspiring. 8/10
Awards:
- Winner – Best Documentary, Los Angeles Film Festival 2010
- Winner – Audience Award, Austin Film Festival 2010
Make Believe is in limited release on May 13 in New York. Find other screenings here.
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