User reviews

William Hurt is an interesting actor. Although he has made many money making Hollywood films, he seems to enjoy also making small artistic films that MUST bring him a lot less money but perhaps more personal satisfaction. Among these many "little" films he has done is Second Best--an odd little film well worth watching. Is it a perfect film? Certainly not. At times, it is a bit slow and emotionally sterile--though this is needed due to the type man Hurt is portraying. For some inexplicable reason (it would have been nice to know more about WHY), Welshman Hurt decides to take in a hard to adopt boy with the intention of adopting him. Because the boy has lots of emotional baggage, they do not easily bond and their relationship is strained. However, just because there are these awkward moments, do not stop watching--the payoff is there and the characters are much more realistic (with all their foibles) than what you are usually given in a typical movie!

A brace of Hurts, William and (in a minor role) John, feature in this story of a middle aged man who adopts a troubled child, and does some belated growing-up in the process. Sensitively done, but there's something slightly obvious about it, the ideas are quite subtle but the realisations lack depth. Overall, a middling "Play for Today".

William Hurt is one of my favourite actors. Steady, brooding, sensitive. Unfortunately, the mix of loneliness, poignancy and longing for love is obscured by oft ill-judged caricatured characters and situations.

I've read through the other reviews as well as seen the movie twice, now. There is no doubt that men such as Graham Holt do exist, sitting in the wings of society. Far more commonly, their (early, in his case) midlife crises emerge as they find life is slipping by and one that will have true meaning - and legacy. "I want you to look after me when I'm old", he blubs to the boy, James as they fight and argue.

Whilst the media has us all believe that only inner city kids with hoodies and a drug dependence are the only ones who have grave emotional issues. So far, we're OK. The intention is good and the intense interactions work well as well as the temper tantrums performed by both man and boy.

I noticed that many reviewers who wrote glowing comments may be a little overwhelmed by our English "quaintness". Or supposed quaintness. I really don't want to sound patronising. We certainly hold onto unrepresentative views of the U.S.

Thus, this film's sedate pace may have an added attraction for them. That, though isn't my issue - it's the likes of Jane Horrock's vulgar and totally unsuitable character, social worker Debbie and the overplaying of Keith Allen's part as the boy's father. I've had issue with social services myself and I can only think that the writer David Cook and director Chris Menges felt that the film needed 'spicing up'. A sardonic character often works and occasionally makes a film, but only if it works.

I really don't wish to insult his film further - but that old chestnut that the critics usually end up with springs to mind - would make a great TV movie. A pretty good, one though.

This is a moving, touching film. For me a little bit frightening too. In the real world there are some people, who behave like Holt. (Unimportant, but funny that the word "Holt" means Dead in Hungarian which is my first language.) This movie is like a therapy, an advice for unhappy, lonely people. A believable film is a great pleasure nowadays, but if you meet your own life face-to-face in a script, well... it's pretty scary. If you pay attention good enough, it changes your life! Thank God for this film!

The story is about a kind man in his forties that never dated, drank or did drugs. He ended up in a kind of boring everyday life in a 5000 population town and felt something was missing, perhaps a child would do the trick? This movie is a cute story about a man who adopts a small boy with certain behavioral problems.

This film was not exactly what I expected, although to tell the truth not even I know for sure what I was expecting from it. The idea is interesting: a middle-aged man named Graham (portrayed by William Hurt) who gets interested in a boy named James and decides to adopt him. However, their relationship is very turbulent. The boy often has sudden fury attacks, which (as you can guess and understand) takes Graham to despair. Even when the boy finally begins to get along well with him, there comes a time when he suddenly changes again... although later the boy demonstrates that he's human by hugging Graham when he cries. The ending is apparently happy - they seem to end up together.

The film's got some good moments when Graham and Jamie get along fine and is also a nice attempt on this very difficult relationship. It has some gorgeous cinematography as well, thanks to the magnificent sunsets and the nature sceneries.

William Hurt's acting as Graham is good, perhaps his best performance on pair with his Professor Hobby in 'A.I.: Artificial Intelligence'. A very cute Nathan Yapp portrays well a young James (as Jimmy) and Chris Cleary Miles portrays well the disturbed James some years older.

Paul wrote a beautiful review with the proper amount of reverence towards what is in our culture almost a sacred subject, the father son relationship. This is the story of two such relationships, each one gone bad, and how the two survivors find the solution in each other and could find the solution in nobody else. The filmmakers also had a problem which needed a solution and found that in the cinematography, direction and marvelous acting and casting (several actors for each character at different ages) and music you'll remember long after the lights go up. Because it's such a small scale picture I would only give it a 9/10 and BenHur and Laurence of Arabia get a 10, yet they're no better, only bigger.

I am not a father yet, but I understand how the main character feels like here. And it is a feeling that goes throughout the movie. Which also manifests itself in the title. William Hurt is an amazing actor and his skills are needed in this very slow paced drama, that deals with a lot of things and traumas.

And while I could dig it to a degree, I'm not sure what the thresshold for other viewers is. That is up to you to decide. A strange movie then, that almost feels a bit niche in its structure and its approach. Not for everyone for sure, but very well made.

This is an exquisitely poignant tale of a love-starved, troubled orphan boy and an emotionally incomplete man who has decided to reach out for what he wants most in life: a son. Jamie very much wants to love the kind man who wants to adopt him but is prevented from doing so by the promise he made to his biological father just before dad went to jail: to love him "best in the whole world forever." In what may just be the greatest dramatic performance by a child ever captured on film (surpassing even that of Freddie Bartholomew in "Captains Courageous" who had held that title for that past 60 years), Chris Cleary Miles demonstrates a precocity which makes one wonder if he hasn't already overcome some great tribulation(s?) in his short life in order to give such a compelling performance. Alternately masochistic, loving, violent and affectionate, the range and depth of emotion he portrays are nonpareil. I am still having trouble believing it was only a movie! It is unfortunate that Miles never acted in another movie; on the other hand, when you start at the top you can only go down.

Others have called this William Hurt's greatest role and I would have to agree. While his transformation from the stiff, detached loner to loving father was beautifully written in the book by David Cook, Hurt interprets this flawlessly. In fact you might say the film's brilliance was relatively easy on the heels of Cook's depictions. Nevertheless every scene in the movie is significant and the editing with the multiple flashbacks was excellent. Why this film did not win all kinds of awards is beyond me.

"Second Best" is second best to none in its genre.

William Hurt plays a present-day bachelor-postman in his 40s, living a lonely life in a Welsh village, who wants to adopt a 10-year-old boy. Is he a pervert? No, he just wants to do father-and-son things, like fishing and camping. I haven't a clue as to what this movie is trying to say...and I feel even more helpless trying to summarize its plot. The tough little kid he's matched with temporarily is a mercurial tyke who seems to want to manipulate Hurt and exploit his open heart--but for what purpose? (If it's for personal gain, he's going about it the wrong way). Director Chris Menges, working from a screenplay by David Cook, adapting his novel, gets very fine work from his star, but the picture is a curious one, melodramatic and somewhat off-putting. The story's main themes--childhood vs. Adulthood, rebelliousness vs. Allowing yourself to be loved--cover familiar territory, while Chris Cleary Miles as the lad (despite being a natural child performer) is stuck with impossible scenes such as breaking a window and screaming at Hurt, "The honeymoon's over!" John Hurt is very funny in a brief supporting bit, but Alan Cumming is unintentionally villainous and theatrical as an adoption caseworker. Menges fiddles around with camera tricks and other artistic flourishes that wouldn't have been necessary had he been given a script with clearer intentions. Despite all this, Hurt's performance as a man who desires to be a good father is touching and expressive, but it isn't enough to save the picture. ** from ****

David Cook, author of the novel of the same title and also involved in the film, is known for his sensitive and probing treatments of characters marginalized in society. After seeing the film, I made a point of searching for the book, and at long last spotted a "galley proof edition" in a used bookstore in Oxford. The picture is faithful to the novel-- if anything, excessively so. Much dialogue is reproduced intact. A number of small incidents and gestures which seem inconsequential or puzzling in the movie were revealed as symbols or evocations of episodes which the book had fleshed out. Directors themselves so immersed in every detail are at risk of assuming too much understanding from the audience, depriving them of just another few words, or a brief camera close-up, which would have put a point across coherently. But these are quibbles, for there is enough depth and quiet eloquence left here to call for a rare ten stars out of ten.

This is the story of an unlikely relationship which succeeds as the mutual balm for unusual wounds. The man Graham and the boy Jamie both suffer profoundly from separation from their fathers-- physical separation in Jamie's case (his adored dad is in prison), emotional in Graham's. Each discovers that the other cherishes the memory of just a few days of filial closeness, shattered shards of supreme bliss sparkling in the dismal landscape of their emotional lives. Yet not only does Graham, a candidate to adopt Jamie, lack the primary qualification for a stepfather: a wife. He is a shy nerd with no obvious charisma whatsoever for a hyperactive, street-wise, cynical kid.

But traumas in his past have stamped this boy with a vehement misogyny. As little as he fancies anyone presuming to take his father's place, he craves having a stepmother even less. Graham's bachelorhood is a relative advantage. Graham proves himself gradually with humility, honesty, and a quality of unfailing respect for the person struggling underneath Jamie's sullenness which one can only describe as reverence. A "special-ed" teacher of my acquaintance called Jamie (and Chris Cleary Miles' passionate characterization) very realistic, and pronounced Graham (as brought to life masterfully by William Hurt) "a genius" in his approach to the developing relationship.

While some will complain that this film drags, others will value its quiet atmosphere in which heart-codes are patiently decrypted. The more important the dialogue is, the likelier it is to approach whispers. One crucial central scene, barely audible, as the haunting strains of the score's "rift" theme echo away more faintly still, never to be heard again, must be one of the tenderest moments ever captured on celluloid.

Perhaps Graham has been plagued by a touch of agoraphobia. The cinematography deftly suggests this world view: interiors of small rooms, fussy wallpaper, obtrusive props, brilliant curtains covering the windows; exteriors somehow painting scenes of ravishing beauty with brushstrokes of vague terror.

Graham Holt is an unlikely hero, but a true one. If more people treated one another the way he does, the world would be a better place.

I rarely write reviews for movies. And having seen the other excellent reviews, mine is hardly needed. But I stumbled across this movie and felt I had to comment on it.

This is an excellent movie with wonderful acting, directing, writing, screen play, and filming. I saw the last 2/3 of the movie by accident and could not tear myself away from it.

William Hurt and the boy actor (sorry - forgot the name) are thrown together by life's accidents and develop bonds for one another. The rough edges on each character are worn smooth as each accommodates the other and learns of the other's trials and humanity. The acting is superb and rarely gets in the way of the content - more to the point, the acting complements the story well.

But what makes the movie special is the character development. The writing, directing, and screen play successfully convey the existential experiences of the actors as they develop and react to one another.

A good song, a good poem, a good book - are made special if they are accessible - if they evoke within you the ring of truth and personal history. This movie communicated with me extremely well on a personal basis, on many plans at the same time. Every element of this film was well crafted. The movie is cerebral and touching - with very few rough edges. I couldn't recommend it more highly for an adult audience.

If you have a sense of love within you, this movie is for you. There are few things as sad as loneliness. And few things as heart wrenching as seeing it overcome.

This film provides both. though it was not a huge success in the theater, (this film was gravely underrated), it is a wonderful story. A bond of trust and love between child and adult, forged in the pain and fear of emptiness. If you missed it in the theater, take the time to find it, and watch it at home.

I can only hope that a long awaited DVD release is near at hand. there are too many movies with 'created' story lines. This one is as real as it comes. If only there were more like it......

An Update... Here in 2012, this has still not been released on DVD. What a shame. I watched it on Laser Disc yesterday, and it is such a wonderful film. Someone missed the boat on the DVD release. Sad...

Second best is a touching and moving masterpiece directed by Chris Menges . The plot reminded me of another great British movie – "Dear Frankie ".I guess it is that father – son relationship that makes movies like these two so special. The loyalty of the son both in the characters of Jimmy played by Nathan Yapp and Graham Holt (William Hurt) is touching and I am not ashamed to admit that there were moments of this movie which truly brought tears to my eyes.

One other reviewer wrote: "Chris Cleary Miles' apparently initial screen performance as the troubled youth is near amazing." And I just couldn't agree more with that – the acting of Chris Cleary Miles, William Hurt and for that matter all the other actors in this movie is first class – their gestures, the words they say , the way they say them – you just have to watch it to experience the movie – because that is what you are going to get an unforgettable experience.

The flashbacks moments (the memories of the little Jimmy) were very careful chosen and I felt really weird watching them , knowing that there is something more hidden out there– this feeling stayed with me until the final scenes in which these flashbacks became more revealing … There is also a lot of symbolism is Second Best –the scene in which the boy looks at the man who wants to adopt him trough a broken window is just one example and if you watch it more than once you will sure notice many other symbols – the letter, the scars ... etc You just couldn't watch the movie without noticing how much the music contributes to it – piano or guitars, it fits the scenes really good - making the emotional impact they have on the viewer's powerful and overwhelming.

I've read the other reviews posted here and concur with all of them. The film triumphs in its realistic depiction of two broken hearts, Jamie's and Graham's. I think, in order to appreciate the story, one must have somehow experienced the psychic shock of childhood abandonment, either emotionally or by outright physical abandonment. The pleasure of watching this film, aside from the acting and cinematography, is having the sense that it will work out okay. At the very end, when Jamie walks briskly to catch up with Graham, slips his hand into the grownup's hand, and then walks much more slowly, one can see in their stride together the fulfillment each has received. I rewound the film at that point to see that scene again.

When this grown man finds himself alone, mechanical,bereft of feeling in his middle age,comfortable yet empty, he 'happens" upon a picture of a little boy who is up for adoption among many in a window as he passes by.While he is in the position to provide the material things,security and home to the child in distress, the boy,although himself a derelict on the sea of life, still can feel and has felt the pangs and deep love and hurt of life unlike the man, and from this hard earned deep emotional well he is able to provide his new Father a far more substantial quid pro quo.Both William Hurt and Chris Leary Miles prove that their talent is not only acting, but in readily tapping into the Old Souls that they are.Both reflect the Author' David Cook's every nuance ,every glimpse of the needful souls they portray .Chris plays the part masterfully, both of a cunning fox, but a vulnerable damaged untrusting soul, who despite his past is just waiting to show love and be loved if given the chance, with no strings attached once is guard is gingerly taken down.A warm heart in trade for a warm hearth.A great piece of artistry in it's purest sense, both the book and the movie,which faithfully mirrors it.James Hagerty, Westminster,Maryland

Happened past this on cable, and was instantly hooked. Chris

Cleary Miles is an exceptional young actor, and I eagerly await

his next performance. William Hurt turns in his usual

outstanding performance as well. Overall, a touching and

ultimately uplifting piece.

Excellent film. Both the boy (Yapp) and Hurt were great. Seemed real life like. Hurt the lonely man, and the boy as one needing love. It highlighted the struggles both and to go through before they could finally come together as father and son. Also the musical track is great.

William Hurt is very believable as a west country postmaster and the adoption process is taken apart in a sympathetic and believable manner. The film has charm and pace while dealing with a difficult subject. If it were to be made now would there be a different emphasis in the light of current obsessions with protecting children from paedophiles?

I know there are not many reviews, but I recommend this one.

The boy who plays the child is so good that I looked him up and he doesn't seem to have been in any other films.

William Hurt also does a good job of playing a middle-aged man who has aged well.

I wonder what a real parent and child are.

No matter how much the world hates his father, he is the only father in the world who is related to him by blood.

The main character tries to be a "nurturing parent" with such a boy, gradually coming to understand him.

I cried at the end.

I fondly watch movies like this. Did not read the book, but the movie , characters and the dialogue delivery is remarkable. Life happens, situations are weird, human life is complex and the lessons of life are in these very fine details of experiences. I understand some reviews which are not so much in favor, but it is truth for some! Breaks the stereotype that being married, having own children and taking generations forward is the only socially acceptable way of life. Truth is, there are people out there dealing with unique circumstances and singled out. This move is about a lonely man and lonely child coming together to write a father and son story of their own. And I appreciate the depiction, esp. the child actor and the psychology he adopted absolutely fantastically. And afcourse the complex, mature and growing character of the child Jimmy is just great. There is so much inside of the boy, and the artist played it really well. I like the movie , the story and the fine details displayed. It is just an awesome , authentic experience watching the movie.

A different perspective on kids growing up without parents. Willing Hurt plays a wannabe father who's still that kid deep down and Nathan Yapp plays a kid who's mature for his age but troubled inside. It's a slow paced, interesting story. Director Chris Menges portrays emotions perfectly with simplicity. It's hard to imagine a film like this getting a cinema release in the 2010s, not least with a Hollywood actor. Small-scale & intimate, it's the kind of story we'd now see expanded to six episodes & shown on TV. Hurt is very good in the role of a painfully shy & inarticulate man, who in his efforts to adopt a child from a troubled background, finds a way of understanding the traumatic relationship with his own father.