Terri (2011) User Reviews

Island of Misfits

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 20 July 2011]

Greetings again from the darkness. Indie films are at a disadvantage on many fronts, not the least of which is budget. That usually limits the indie scene to personal, poignant stories of relationships and self-discovery. Quirky, yet believable characters are often the difference between ho-hum and worth-seeing. Writer Patrick Dewitt and Director Azazel Jacobs definitely provide some curious characters of interest.

Jacob Wysocki portrays Terri, an overweight outcast who is often humiliated and bullied at high school. Terri seems to have given up on ever fitting in. The proof is in the pajamas that he has begun wearing to class every day. But as usual with "troubled" teens, there is more to the story. We see his home life which consists of constant care for his Uncle James (Creed Bratton from The Office), who is apparently suffering from dementia. We get no backstory on the missing parents, but it's clear that Terri's responsibility at home outweigh his concerns for a missing social life at school.

Enter Assistant Principal, Mr. Fitgerald. Played by John C Riley, Mr. Fitzgerald takes a special interest in the 'monsters and misfits'. The reason is pretty obvious ... he was one himself. His goal, even his life's calling, is to encourage these kids to understand that life gets better and that NO ONE really has it figured out. We are just doing the best we can.

Terri's world collides with a couple other students. Chad (Bridger Sadina) is so angry at the world that he pulls his hair right out from his scalp - and is quick with a cutting line, though he clearly just seeks attention. Heather (Olivia Crociacchia) is saved from expulsion after a very generous move by Terri. Her world of popularity comes crashing down, but Terri is the presence that gets her through. Watching these characters interact with Mr. Fitzgerald emphasizes how much we all need someone to care ... someone to believe in us.

The film moves at a realistic to life pace. That means it is very slow compared to most movies. The characters are allowed to develop, as are most of the scenes. Jacob Wysocki's performance can be compared to Gabourey Sidibe in "Precious". They are large youngsters who don't use their size to comedic effect. Instead, they both display humanity and real emotions in a less than perfect world.

Certainly not a movie for everyone, but if you enjoy intimate stories about people just trying to get through life ... no special effects, explosions or asinine punchlines ... then Terri is worth a look.

Terri an odd but endearing dose of humanity

[keidem4-829-441667 · 7/10 · 30 April 2011]

Saturday, April 30, 2011 Atlanta Film Festival review: "Terri" Think - when's the last time you saw a new movie that is truly unique? For me it had been quite a while, but I managed to catch one with Azazel Jacobs' "Terri," the opening night movie for this year's Atlanta Film Festival 365. And what makes that all the more amazing is that it comes with such a familiar structure - the lovable authority figure who reaches out to the high school misfit and teaches him or her how to live life (another of one those? Sheesh.) But both the greatest strength and simultaneously a weakness is that "Terri" doesn't initiate a grand, transformative experience for the titular hero here, just gives a bit of dignity to a kid who sorely needs some. When you first meet Terri, you'll see, however, just how much of an accomplishment even that will be. Jacob Wysocki, who I had never seen in anything before, plays the rather rotund kid who wears pajamas to school because, well when you see him, I think you'll understand. It's just one of the many uncomfortable situations that Jacobs plays for a mix of humor and drama that, while it never really picks a side, doesn't have to. And Wysocki, from the way he runs as Terri to the contempt for the world around him he expresses in his face, is a natural comedian and someone you'll fall in love with from the start. Not surprisingly, Terri has few friends at the high school he only bothers to turn up to sporadically at best. Who has time for that when he has to concern himself with catching the mice who roam the attic in the shack he shares with his senile uncle, Creed Bratton of "The Office" fame in a restrained performance that will catch you by surprise. The job of drawing Terri out of this rut falls to school principal Mr. Fitzgerald, played by John C. Reilly in another fairly great performance in his second career act as a comedian. This isn't, however, the broad kind of role he delivered in taking over "Cedar Rapids," though he does do some yelling in an attempt to convey at least a smidgen of authority. He just plays a guy who's clearly in over his head, but still tries to reach out to the misfits (or, as Terri calls them, "monsters") who cross his path each day. The best scenes in "Terri" involve Reilly and Wysocki squaring off and looking for some common ground, which they eventually find they have more of than either expected. Jacobs' movie, based on a screenplay he wrote with novelist Patrick Dewitt, is more than a bit too episodic in its first half, but it gets better as the scenes grow longer, culminating in one completely uncomfortable take on the "Breakfast Club" scenario of the outcast summit. I don't want to spoil any of what happens when Terri eventually finds two friends in Heather (Olivia Crocicchia), the pretty girl with a bad reputation, and Chad (Bringer Zadina), a kid so angry he can't find much else to do than constantly pull his own hair out. These kids definitely aren't all right, and what happens when they come together with a bottle of whiskey and some of Terri's uncle's pills will be the most polarizing aspect of this movie, assuming anyone gets too see it when it gets at least some kind of theatrical release in July. In the end, though it could certainly use some more narrative drive, what Jacobs' movie has is plenty of humanity, and in that it reminded me of the movies of Thomas McCarthy, one of my very favorite directors (probably also admittedly because I saw "Win Win" yesterday, and that was sensational.) If you get the chance to see it, I think you'll enjoy this tale of a genuine misfit searching for a little bit of dignity. I know I did.

Terri...3 out of 4 Skittles

[FilmStallion · 7/10 · 6 September 2012]

Terri comes off as your typical indie film with awkward characters dealing with unique, yet realistic situations. Several times in the film it felt as if long time micro-budget indie director Azazel Jacobs, and screenwriter Patrick Dewitt were trying to be different because that what indie films are supposed to do, but their strong cast refuses to color inside the lines and let that happen.

Newcomer Wysocki brings a true sense of realism as the title character Terri. He is an awkward outsider who doesn't fit in with the "normal" crowd in high school. After a series of late tardies and his refusal to wear anything other than pajamas to school he is sent to the principal's office where Mr. Fitzgerald (Reilly) takes an interest and gives the lost kid a sense of hope.

John C. Reilly is no stranger to the indie scene with scores of roles in smaller films including recently in Cedar Rapids and Cyrus. Reilly easily blends in as an actor into any size of film no matter how large or small. He knows when to turn up the silly, or ease into the dark side. Reilly finds the perfect balance in Terri.

The supporting cast discovers ways to make their mark as well. Bridger Zadina finds laughs as Terri's deeply disturbed new friend with scores of his own problems. Olivia Crocicchia, best known for her role as Denis Leary's daughter, Katy, on the long running television hit Rescue Me, has no trouble as the nice teenage girl slipping down the wrong path. She shows great promise, and is a role or two away from finding herself on the next big thing list. It was also nice to see Creed Bratton break away from his hilariously bizarre character on The Office. It's stunning to see him in a serious role.

Terri had many chances to slip into the pit holes that bring down any hopeful indie film, but finds away to dance over the trouble. Just when the film felt like it was being indie for Indies' sake it threw a curveball…and this is one audience member who is glad that some film's still attempt to be different.

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Not your average misfits

[jimcheva · 7/10 · 26 January 2012]

The misfit in high school is a tried and true indie genre (were ANY indie filmmakers well-adjusted jocks in high school?). So one approaches yet another example of the breed with some weariness, expecting certain marks to be hit, especially when the protagonist is, as here, hugely overweight. And indeed he is unpopular with his phys ed teacher and gets more than one comment about his breasts. But all manner of subtle variations make this one unique from the start, starting with his mixed relationship with his uncle (a surprisingly touching turn by "The Office"'s Creed Bratton), whose condition - Alzheimer's? - makes him sometimes the one needing care, but whose age and fundamental compassion also make him the caretaker (in the never explained absence of Terri's parents). Perhaps because of this ambivalent situation, Terri has a strong sense of self which takes him from the start out of victim territory, prompting him, for instance, to defiantly wear pajamas to school. His relationship with John C. Reilly's assistant principal character is similarly ambivalent, since as a mentor the latter is both empowering and disappointing. The two other students who become his friends are similarly displaced yet defiant and the film is rich in both vulnerability and self-assertion. The quiet intrigues of the film are not the stuff of stirring plot, but do show Terri and his friends in their own messy, determined way becoming themselves in a way that is, almost unobtrusively, optimistic and uplifting.

A Hugely Entertaining Movie

[dooleyanthony · 16 October 2011]

Having watched this film without any idea what it was about, I was completely surprised by it. It was a film similar to Napoleon Dynamite but yet it was in a class of it's own. I found myself glued to it, it both captivated and left me wanting more from it. At no point did I want to turn it off, the comedy was just perfect but not in a take the mickey way, it just worked. It's been a while since I have seen a film of this finesse and it does a good job of showing how hard life can be if you that little bit different, whilst showing the side of life rarely seen for a person who is a carer. A large body, a large heart and a large round of applause to the script writers and of course Terri himself.

Odd little film

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 24 September 2013]

Terri (Jacob Wysocki) is a misfit who comes to school in his pajamas. He lives with his spaced out uncle (Creed Bratton). His vice principal Mr Fitzgerald (Jon C. Reilly) tries to reach out to him. Terri becomes friends with two other misfits. Chad (Bridger Zadina) is an angry wired loner, and Heather (Olivia Crocicchia) is the disgraced beautiful girl who got caught in a sexually permissive situation while in class.

Jacob Wysocki is playing a very low energy character. They have to figure out how to show that character in a compelling manner. Watching him getting picked on all the time wasn't such a fun watch. Bridger Zadina has a nice role as the energetic crazy little guy. I think it would have been better to start the movie with them as friends. At least the movie would have the energy to drive it along. Olivia Crocicchia does a good job as the girl. The big scene feels voyeuristic. But all three kids play their roles well. It's an odd little film. I just wish they showed what happened to their friendship after that night.

Another outcast school kid movie that is actually very good. More realistic then many of this type of movie. Worth seeing. I say B

[cosmo_tiger · 6/10 · 21 September 2011]

"There's good hearted kids and there's bad hearted kids. When I look at you I see a good heart." Terri (Wysocki) is a larger then average 15 year old. Feeling like an out cast and having to take care of his sick uncle he seems to give up. After repeated tardiness to school and his new wardrobe of pajamas only, the school's principal (Reilly) decides to take Terri under his wing. This is a new take on the outcast school kid movie. The actor playing Terri does a fantastic job with this and even Reilly is subdued and adds a lot to the character. While the movie is not anything original you really feel for this character and want things to go his way. Unlike most other outcast movies like "She's The One" or even "Naploean Dynamite" this one seems much more realistic and that makes it better then most of the movies in this type of genre. The humor in this is more subdued but still a pretty funny watch. Overall, not a bad movie with the type of humor that not everyone will get. Worth checking out though. I say B.

Would I watch again? - No I don't think so.

*Also try - Cyrus & Youth In Revolt

warm, quirky and yet oddly endearing low budget drama

[gregking4 · 7/10 · 9 June 2012]

This warm, quirky and yet oddly endearing drama is another low-budget independent American coming of age tale that details the hardships of life in a small town high school. Terri (Jason Wysocki) is a morbidly obese, socially awkward and shy teenager who is a misfit at school. He lives with his uncle (The Office's Creed Bratton) who is suffering from early onset of dementia. Terri is always late to school and often turns up in his pyjamas. But when the school principal Mr Fitzgerald (John C Reilly) takes an interest in him, Terri's lonely and miserable life undergoes something of a change. When he reluctantly opens up he finds a couple of new friends in the beautiful but troubled Heather (Olivia Crocicchia) and the weird and troubled Chad (Bridger Zadina), who is another of Fitzgerald's special "projects". The film has a painful ring of truth to it, and director Azazel Jacobs (whose previous film Mamma's Man explored similar uncomfortable territory) maintains a low key and unsentimental approach to the material. Co-written by Jacobs and Patrick Dewitt Terri also has a semi-autobiographical feel to it, and should resonate strongly with a certain audience. The performances of the young, unknown cast are solid. In Particular, newcomer Wysocki is outstanding, and brings an honesty, vulnerability and sensitivity to his performance. Reilly also brings some welcome touches of humour to his role as the clueless but well meaning principal who is trying to prevent certain kids from falling through the cracks in a system that can't really cope with the disengaged and disconnected. The scenes that the always reliable Reilly and Wysocki share are amongst the best in the film.

Terri: slow but wise,

[Maharakid · 8/10 · 19 October 2011]

Terri is just not your average movie. I can understand why some do not like this: you have to let yourself in on it. At first I was not immediately carried away, but as the story continues I slowly but surely got sucked in.

I would not call it a comedy at all, though some scenes made me smile. It touches on subjects which keep your mind occupied on that age (and later too, though different;-).

The movie shows lessons of life which some learn early in their life, others have to live through and never learn. It shows us we can make mistakes, we will, and we even have to if we want to "learn life".

I understood it got a more restricted rating than the average action movie. I can only think it has to do with the sexual subjects it contains, but I think it is done in such a way that you can only learn good things from it if you're young.

Cinematography does not do anything new, but it's a lot better and fitting than the shaky camera's of the 100 million dollar movies that came out lately.

So, lessons in life here!

Works as a buddy film and high school misfit movie, to a certain degree.

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 13 March 2012]

'TERRI': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Another teen misfit story, this one is about a heavyset fifteen year old having trouble fitting in at school who befriends his goofy principal. The kid, Terri, is played by Jacob Wysocki and the odd principal is played by John C. Reilly (who's perfectly cast). It was directed by Azazel Jacobs and written by Jacobs and Patrick Dewitt. The film is funny, relatable at times and strange. It's a little distant when it attempts to reach out to the viewer on an emotional level but for the most part it works.

Terri is 15 years old, depressed and living with his Uncle James (Creed Bratton of 'THE OFFICE' fame), who has Alzheimer's disease, and takes care of him. He's constantly picked on at school for being overweight and has begun wearing pajamas to school. He's also began showing up late to school consistently and gotten in to trouble with his teachers. His principal, Mr. Fitzgerald, starts bringing him in to morning counseling sessions he has with misfits at school. Terri and his principal bond and a strong relationship begins to build.

The movie does a good job of depicting high school life for outsiders and presents them in a relatable and kind way, causing any viewer with a heart to feel sorry for them, but beyond that it's kind of lacking much emotional depth. Terri is relatable but we never see him grow much or figure things out, other than his friendship with his principal. Reilly is great as the weird and lovable principal and Wysocki is adequate enough in the lead but beyond their friendship the movie doesn't really deliver much. There are some strange encounters (involving drugs, alcohol and some sexual activity) with another outcast at school (Bridger Zadina) and a female student (Olivia Crocicchia) who shows some interest in Terri but the movie doesn't do anything more with their characters. It works as a buddy film though and a high school misfit film, to a certain degree, it just seems like they could have further fleshed some good ideas out.

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A fine coming-of-age drama; not really a comedy

[TroyeEvans · 4/10 · 7 October 2011]

Terri tells the story of 15-year-old teenage boy Terri, who is said to possess a "good heart". The entire story focuses on the self-discovery of Terri and his adjustment to harsh circumstances and life when categorized as a "monster".

The characters are intriguing. First, we have Terri, an obese teenager who seems to have already got used to being seen as one of the freaks at school and at the same time striving constantly and desperately to figure out his life. Then, there is Mr. Fitgerald, who becomes interested in Terri and tries to help him. Now you may ask why. What's the motivation? Revealed later is the equally miserable and chaotic life of Fitgerald, which probably unravels the reason and intention behind his willingness and determination to assist Terri. Further in the story we get to meet Chad and Heather, the former being an eccentric misfit and the latter being a troubled teenage girl. The story is about how their paths cross.

The overall acting, though nowhere near superb, is undoubtedly adequate to consolidate the plot. Jacob Wysocki as Terri, Bridger Zadina as Chad and Olivia Crocicchia as Heather manage to deliver sufficient performances for their parts. John C. Reilly, nevertheless, gives the audience a highly believable and realistic performance which indeed gains the movies a huge plus. It does not come as a shock that his scenes turn out to be the more interesting scenes in the film.

The storyline does not really land any surprises for the viewers. Despite its difference from other similar coming-of-age films, the film does not summon enough good elements to form a overall highly entertaining experience. It is disappointing to see such potential in character development gone to waste on account of the plot. While the completeness and character uniqueness in this film are definitely enough to bring about a fine piece of teenage growing-up tale, the story fails to transform it into something we call excellent and memorable.

Terri is not your typical coming-of-age film. It's a film off the mainstream and is portrayed with its own off-the-track style and its not-so-ordinary characters. There is a degree of eccentricity and depth in them that makes them appealing, and pulls them away from the main crowd of "normal" teenagers. The plot does not center on a very specific event. It does not concentrate on achieving a certain goal. It is just a simple story about adjusting to everyday life, with attractive characters, too.

Terri is also not your typical comedy. In fact, It is not really a comedy. It is a drama describing teenage problems. It is a drama about growing up and realizing how to live. And that is what it should be - a coming-of-age drama, not a comedy.

The movie starts off with longer scenes and less dialogue and may be a bit tedious, that is, until Reilly enters. As I have mentioned above, I find his scenes easily being the spotlights of the film, while the others fall flat a little.

In life, we do the best we can. Terri is a story about a trouble youngster coming of age. Though it may be not the best film, it is not at all a poorly written indie piece. The film puts an emphasis on Terri's "good heart", and this is in a way confirmed near the end of film. If you are looking for an atypical teenage drama, Terri is recommended. But if you want your typical laughter-generating comedy, don't even bother to watch this.

A sweet, tender, and very observant film

[howard.schumann · 9/10 · 27 August 2011]

As we know, high school can be a difficult and challenging place for even the most socially adaptive student. For those who are different in one way or another, it can be misery, and alienated students do not always find a compassionate counselor or friend to steer them through the tough times. In the movies, however, it is often a different story. We have seen several films recently about teens that have lost their way but somehow find the perfect mentor to support them. The latest example of this is Terri, a new film by Azazel Jacobs, whose 2008 Momma's Man, was a work of rare honesty about a recently married man who falls into a psychological paralysis that keeps him from accepting the reality of his adult life.

Though the genre of teen misfits has been done before, Terri looks at the situation from a different vantage point and the result is a film of unusual freshness. Based on a screenplay Jacobs wrote with novelist Patrick Dewitt, Terri brings together an unlikely friendship between Terri (Jacob Wysocki), a heavily over-sized parentless teenager who lives with his Uncle James (Creed Bratton) who is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's, Chad (Bridger Zadina), a skinny, androgynous-looking youth with a high-pitched squeaky voice who directs his anger towards himself by pulling his hair out, and Heather ((Olivia Crocicchia), an attractive girl who has developed an unfortunate reputation around school for inappropriate sexual acting out.

Terri is consistently late to school and comes to class dressed in pajamas because he feels they are more comfortable. He is constantly teased and bullied by those who do not understand (and perhaps never will) the meaning of empathy. His behavior, while otherwise normal, can be bizarre. When his uncle asks him to set traps for mice in their attic, Terri takes the traps out into a wooded area near his suburban home and gleefully watches the dead mice being torn to shreds by devouring falcons. His tardiness and odd behavior draws the attention of the school's vice-principal Mr. Fitzgerald (John C. Reilly) who sets up sessions with Terri each week for counseling. Attempting to play the role of buddy rather than authority figure, Fitzgerald calls Terri "dude", uses "hip" language, and exchanges high-fives, but his behavior often feels strained.

Terri learns to appreciate the attention he is given, however, and, though he is tight lipped at the beginning of the meetings, he slowly begins to open up and express his feelings. Fitzgerald also has his problems at home and is not averse to sharing them with Terri. His sharing about his personal life, however inappropriate it may be for a school administrator, does provide a more level playing field and a closer relationship grows between the two people struggling to make sense of the world. An awkward late night party at Terri's house filled with drugs, alcohol, and sexual experimentation could have become a disaster, except for Terri's new found sense of self that allows him to know intuitively when to back off.

There are few dramatic movements in Terri, no sudden insights, and no startling epiphanies backed by the swelling chords of an orchestra. There is, rather, simply a growing ability of the characters to see beyond their differences to discover their common humanity. While the question of what Terri can do to lose some weight is oddly never brought up either by his mentor or his friends, Terri is a sweet, tender, and very observant film about young people coming to terms with the reality of their being different. It is not a cruel film in the slightest but one that conveys a sincere affection for its troubled characters, and the natural performances of Wysocki, Zadina, and Crocicchia make it a film to remember and cherish.

one detail is irritating

[bhoidas · 6/10 · 2 January 2012]

The movie's not bad but the premise that Terry wears pajamas everywhere implausible. At the first sight of this if the police didn't pick him up & bring him home or to the station and he made it to school he would have been sent right home or sent to the principal's office until an adult or Child Services picked him up. Plus its hard to have compassion for someone who basically wears the same pajamas every day which would be unhygienic. And past all this we are supposed to believe the asst. principal never mentions it? While some of the characters are endearing some are not. You may want to spend your viewing time on a different movie.

OK performances hampered by preposterous writing and Inconceivable actions...

[owen-691-380910 · 3/10 · 17 September 2011]

The acting in this film is OK, however the script and the way the characters are written (in particular the kids) is not credible at all. The way the kids act, speak and also their actions throughout the movie has to make you wonder if the screen writers have ever had any interaction with children of the ages portrayed in the film ever. In addition there is little to no character development and many of the supporting cast seem little more than caricatures. At the end of the movie I have no idea of the message intended or what the director was trying to say or achieve. Without going too deeply into it; in reality it is most likely that someone like Terri would be in a living hell everyday of his childhood/school-life because of a combination of factors, not just limited to his size (his social circumstances and his apparent non-existent social skills/relative poverty/his weight/his PJ uniform) and he would definitely never get the good looking younger daughter out of Rescue Me throwing herself at him (whether she was drunk and high on some anti-alzheimer? medication or not). However this is just one of the many flaws in this movie. I can only give this film 4 out of 10 and that would be for the performances of the young actors alone. They did OK with some pretty poor material.

Two Strong Performances, Everything Else is Dull

[bdgill12 · 15 November 2011]

Terri (Jacob Wysocki) has been dealt a rough hand. A heavy-set teenager with more than a touch of social anxiety, Terri finds school to be a hellhole where he goes unnoticed (when he's lucky). His home life is not much better. He doesn't know where either of his parents are and he lives with his uncle (Creed Batton) who is slipping further and further into dementia. When he gets in trouble for firing back at one of his many mockers, the school's principal, Mr. Fitzgerald (John C. Reilly), sees a kid who desperately needs a friend. He sets up weekly meetings with Terri and attempts to take the boy under his wing. But the many years of loneliness have taken a toll on Terri and despite the influence of Mr. Fitzgerald, transitioning into a fully functioning member of high school society proves more difficult than originally thought.

There is serious promise to be found within Terri. Up-and-coming director Azazel Jacobs has a firm handle on his subject matter and he works hard to show Terri for the good hearted boy that he is. It is a very simple and understated film (more on this in a minute) as Jacobs lets his protagonist move at his own pace. You can see why so many respected critics have identified Jacobs as a name to watch in the future. Wysocki himself gives an honest performance and displays solid chops for a kid who has almost no acting experience. He makes it easy to identify with Terri and that brings about a sense of natural empathy that is essential to the film's success. Likewise, Reilly is a perfect choice for the would-be-cool principal who tries extremely hard to be relevant and accessible to his students but can't quite make it work. The relationship between Terri and Fitzgerald is poignant and heartfelt and without question their shared scenes are the best of the film.

When Terri diverts from its main storyline, however, it tends to bog down. What starts out as sympathy for Terri eventually turns into near depression as his narrative struggles to find an upswing. His interactions with his friends Chad (Bridger Zadina) and Heather (Olivia Crocicchia) are tenuous and never fully realize the potential they have together resulting in a choppy feel that I never could quite shake. Jacobs adds very little in the way of production value, too, and while I can appreciate that sort of simplicity, in this case a pronounced soundtrack and the like would have added to the experience. I found myself growing bored with Terri and had a hard time staying invested when Terri and Fitzgerald weren't on screen together. That's a real shame because I really wanted to care about Terri's relationships with Chad, Heather, and his uncle but Jacobs story didn't quite give me enough reason to get there. With a little more focus, Terri would be a touching and possibly even uplifting coming-of-age vision based around the Terri-Fitzgerald dynamic. Instead, it becomes too dull and convoluted for my tastes and limited my ability to stay connected.

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Incomplete!

[jimtino · 7/10 · 15 March 2024]

This was a very good story. It was cast very well. John C Riley was perfect as the Principal. I've never seen the actors that portrayed Terri or Chad, but they were very good as well. The actors all did great in their roles and I really enjoyed watching the story unfold. Unfortunately there was NO ending. I don't need everything to be fully resolved and wrapped into neat little bows, but this story had absolutely no ending what so ever! If this was submitted as a college paper, I'm sure it would be handed back as incomplete. So many things left completely unexplained. What did Uncle James actually have? What about Terri's parents? All we were told is that he doesn't know where they are. Again, what was there was very good, it just left way too many holes and gave absolutely no resolution.

Fitting into what's regarded as the "Norm"

[peter-hickey · 7/10 · 21 October 2011]

With your initial introduction to Terri the individual, you find yourself making a judgment. This is a "lazy slob", how can they possibly make a movie about this worthless character. And how can it not be laden with mawkish sentimentality.

Your view is quickly changed as the "Terri" character is expanded upon, You see this highly intelligent, articulate individual blossom forth. You see the daily abuse he gets from the bullies in the school, the typical school yard hurtful joshing, that everyone willingly takes part in. And we see his home life and quickly realise that this, who heretofore you had written off as a sloth, is actually the only carer for his uncle with dementia.

Enter the headmaster character played, brilliantly by John C. Riley. He makes a point of championing the cause of his school's marginalized population. The empathy coming from the fact that, surprisingly, he was one himself.

All in all a very good, funny film that deals sensitively with, acceptance, intolerance, bullying, etc. It's main feature is that it avoids saccharine sentimentality that so many films of this genre fall for.

Outsider forges unlikely friendships

[Jerominator · 6/10 · 20 May 2013]

Terri is an overweight teenager who lives with his uncle who as far as I can tell has burgeoning dementia. His parents seem to have been absent for some time and as such his living situation isn't ideal. He's in trouble at school, predictably a target for the scum of the school. He ends up getting in trouble and playing truant as a result. Cue first unlikely event - the head teacher, under the guise of disciplining him decides to make a special effort with him, meeting with him every Monday morning to review progress, give him advice. This unwittingly brings him into a new circle of outsiders, notably Chad who attaches himself to him like a leech. Terri sees 2 fellow pupils indulging in a sex act in the home economics class, for which they are to be disciplined and expelled. He stands up for the girl though, partly as he has a soft spot for her but partly because he did actually witness some coercion on the part of the boy. Cue unlikely event number 2 - the girl is ostracised by fellow pupils for her behaviour which leads us nicely into unlikely event number 3: Terri humiliates himself to draw fire from a teacher who's about to discipline her for a misdemeanour. The girl takes a shine to Terri after this. The rest of the film seems to be about his thrill and terror trying to process her sudden affections for him, while having to deal with Chad's strangeness. It's all put together very competently and acted very well and has a nice feeling about it, but here's my fundamental problem with this movie. In my experience of kids that age, there's just no way an attractive teenage girl would be condemned by fellow pupils for that incident - she'd become famous overnight and wouldn't be lacking for friends, let alone go begging amongst the lowest echelons of the school class system. Furthermore, it's just too big a leap of faith to imagine her being interested in Terri. Someone will argue it's perfectly possible but in reality I just can't see it. Kids that age are so conscious of looks/appearances and what other people think - especially the good looking kids, so I can't buy this scenario at all. Also I found the head teacher's behaviour towards him extremely unlikely. Maybe school's changed since 23 years ago when I left but back then the best a kid like that could hope for from a teacher or head teacher was to be ignored. Sad but true. And I suspect that hasn't changed one bit. So while there's some lovely ideas in play here, and it's nice to imagine that fantasy world, it bears no reflection on the real world out there, which apparently the story's set in. So I just couldn't make the leap of faith and the film got away from me in the end and started to grate on me. This is a shame as there was some good acting, and it was a great setup for a story, just not that one. I suspect anyone experiencing Terri's kind of difficulties in the real world would find this saccharin tale deeply annoying.

Terri: The Best film of the year!

[Blubberkinesis · 8/10 · 11 July 2011]

I went to go see Terri a couple of days ago. It turns out, that, that was the best decision I've made this year. Terri is an extremely heartfelt movie without ever being sobby or begging for sympathy. Jacob Wysocki as Terri, is just a marvelous choice. He portrays a strong, but lonely teen suffering from, like we all do at some point, loneliness. Who knows, he might even get nominated for an Oscar. I mean, he's still relatively new, but anything can happen.

Another performance that was particularly well played was by John C. Reilly as the equally lonely, and pretty miserable vice president of Terri's school. He and Terri begin a friendship that seems very raw and real. The supporting performances also were very good including Bridger Zadina as Chad, Terri's misfit friend who likes pulling hair out of his head. Also Creed Bratton as Terri's somewhat delusional uncle, and Olivia Crocicchia as Terri's love interest.

While I was watching Terri, I found myself laughing, not chuckling, at many of the jokes. Terri is a truly funny movie, because it's realistic humor that many people can relate to: the ups and downs of high school. But in the end, Terri isn't a movie. It's a bold statement about life. Everything in Terri is amazing; the acting, the setting, the themes. And by the end of the movie, you realize there's hope for every teenage misfit in high school, as long as they have a fraction of the heart Terri has.

I wanted to like this film a lot more than I did...

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 12 November 2011]

I saw Leonard Maltin's show and he strongly recommended this film--so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately, while I really liked parts of the movie, the film as a whole left a lot to be desired.

"Terri" is a film about a troubled high school kid (Jacob Wysocki). Although at first you don't realize it, he lives with an uncle who is struggling with dementia (probably Alzheimers). He is grossly overweight and often shows up to school in pajamas. He's quite lonely and a misfit. Fortunately, he finds someone at school who cares (John C. Reilly)--who plays some sort of vice principal or discipline dean. Over time, Terri starts to open up to others and reaches out to other screwed up teens--mostly because despite everything, Terri is a decent kid. There's a lot more to this film than this--you'll just have to see it for yourself.

My wife and I found the first 2/3 of the film quite enjoyable and touching. Later, however, it became pretty messed up---and the characters began behaving very screwed up--much more than the first part of the movie. Seeing a school official with almost no boundaries as well as Terri and his friends mix booze and pills seemed pretty disturbing--and pointless (unless the film's message is we all are screwed up idiots). And, I guess as two retired teachers, my wife and I were horrified as we watch the final portion unfold. To top it off, the film simply ends. I didn't need a happily ever after ending or some pat ending...but an ending would have been nice.

Overall, I loved the acting--Wysocki and Reilly were great. But the script just seemed too dark to be a film I'd recommend. Interesting and a decent effort--but also quite in need of a re-write.

pretty crude VERY adult and disturbing

teacher inappropriate

Terri is not terrible at all, its actually pretty good!

[meeza · 8/10 · 4 June 2012]

The independent film "Terri" is not a bio flick about Berlin lead singer Terri Nunn; if that would be the case, it would be a surefire Oscar winner. OK, so I am bias; and I do promise I will provide "no more words" to this review on my fascination with Ms. Nunn. Anyways, "Terri" actually is a very sweet movie about an overweight outcast teen named (see movie title) who wears pajamas to school, and is not to expressive. Terri lives with his uncle who suffers from Alzheimer's. The main subject of "Terri" is Terri's meetings with his school's assistant principal Mr. Fitzpatrick. The best scenes of "Terri" is on the elevator relationship of Mr. Fitz and Terri, and how Fitzpatrick notices the good-heartedness in Terri even though he is constantly tardy and does not have the proper school attire. But life is not one big Pajama Party for Terri; he is so profoundly unemotional due to the constant bullying he must have encountered throughout his young life; it is a norm to his daily routine. Terri does develop a friendship with an unstable student named Chad who pulls his hair follicles out due to his mental condition. The attractive teen student Heather enters the picture and has a key role in Terri's development. She herself is bullied at school due to an incident where students saw a male student perform a sexual act on Heather during home economics class. I can't put my finger on which sexual act it was; OK, that is enough. Director Azazel Jacobs does an admirable job in directing the picture; even though I could have done without the mousetrap scenes, which to me were kind of cheesy. However, Jacobs mastered the interaction chemistry between Mr. Fitzpatrick and Terri. Jacobs co-wrote the screenplay with Patrick Dewitt, and I must say it was very "dewitty". Newcomer Jacob Wysocki was not sucky at all as the title character. He was very impressive. I am sure Jacob will be climbing up the thespian ladder in the motion picture industry. And there is the great John C. Reilly who was a stalwart as A.P. Mr. Fitzpatrick; I will discipline those that say JCR is not one of the best actors in the movie business. Impressive supporting turns were also turned out by teen actors Olivia Crocicchia as Heather and especially Bridger Zadina as Chad. "Terri" was solid enough to get me terri-eyed to notice how authentic this character-oriented movie was; and that really is enough for me to recommend to you to get terried-away with a "Terri" viewing experience. **** Good

Underwhelmed

[Kevin-94 · 3/10 · 12 December 2011]

Hollywood films have their clichés, but so do Sundance indies as well. We've all sat through underwritten sensitive stories about loners where so much of what is going on is "left unsaid." It's a fine line between poetically subtle and just plain underwritten, and this film falls in the latter category. Who is Terri? Why is he the way he is? Who are any of these people? And none of the relationships here are at all interesting. Nor is there any attempt to provide any kind of psychological insight. Several times characters are confronted about their behavior (Terri in gym class, the girl regarding a sexual encounter, the principal in his office), only to shrug and fail to offer any insight. There's no "there" here. It's an empty bag, a "Sundance favorite" that has nothing to offer. This is something anyone could have written over a weekend. It's been 6 decades since Holden Caufield, and yet people still try to do the sensitive teen thing. Rent Rushmore instead.

Simple, Realistic and Lovable

[23stitches · 8/10 · 10 November 2011]

Terri is a solid proof that you don't need a complicated plot or tons of CGI effects to come up with a movie worth remembering. It's so simple and real, and loving the protagonist is ultimately inescapable.

Jacob Wysocki is a real talent and is perfect for the lead role. I think the movie wouldn't have been as endearing as it is if it wasn't for John C. Reilly playing Mr. Fitzgerald. Yes, not a lot of things happened in the movie, but that's actually the beauty of it.

You just want to feel pity for Terri the first time you see him going to school in his pajamas. But as the film goes on, pity becomes the last thing you want to feel for him. There's a movie I saw a few years back (let's pretend I have forgotten title) and it's something about a fat teenage girl. Although the performances were undeniably praiseworthy, for me the whole movie thrived on hatred and a truckload more of negative stuff. Terri, on the other hand, is all about some raw human being goodness. If only all the people out there had a bit of Terri in them, then there'd be hope for humanity.

The movie made me feel really good, especially during the last scene when Terri stared at the sun and smiled.

No character development and no story

[nebukanezer · 3/10 · 4 November 2011]

Terri had the potential of being a good movie 30 minutes in. There are two interesting characters we are introduced to: The main character - which is an overweight teen who has basically given up being accepted into society, demonstrating his resignation by wearing pajamas to school. And, the Assistant Principal Mr. Fitzgerald who, once a "monster" himself, is trying to help the misfits ("monsters") at his school understand that life will gradually get better. However, as the movie progresses there were in particular two aspects that destroyed the film for me:

1) I found little reason to sympathize with Terri. He has the same zombie-like acting through the entire film – and he has no interesting dialogue. But worst of all is that there is absolutely no character development throughout the film. At the end of the movie he is still walking around in his pajamas and he has learnt nothing. (And neither have we.. see next point.)

2) There is no clear story and no clear message to the film. Mr. Fitzgerald has some good monologues and some nice acting, but it remains very unclear what the makers of this film are trying to communicate. Also, in light of the fact that Terri has no character development throughout the movie, he didn't seem to learn anything either – so what was the point? And seriously: 30mins of three teens getting drunk and drugged-out with some ridiculous dialogue and completely unrealistic actions. Last half of this movie was garbage.

(I am, by the way, sick and tired of the endless number of movies which has to put drug-abuse into its films. Makes me wonder if every director is completely doped out… Probably!)

A Lesson on Attaining Happiness

[dalefried · 10/10 · 24 April 2011]

I spent my week plus at the Sarasota Film Festival hoping beyond hope to get thrilled by close encounters with great cinema. Though I saw many that were wonderful, there was only one blow-away film for me, but boy it blew me away. One of the festival artistic coordinators warned me against missing her favorite of the films showing because I thought it would be back in the theaters eventually because it had a 'big' star, John C Reilly. On her advice I went on the last day anyway.

I left the festival in 2010 thinking that no film would top Winter's Bone for me that year and I was absolutely right. This year I left the festival thinking the same because I saw Terri.

This film takes the decency and humanism in Tom McCarthy's films, most recently Win Win, and catapults it into the stratosphere. With a mind bending performance by the kid and the passionate direction of a near first timer, I can't explain the magnificent place this film put me. In the end, it is like Juno on steroids but so soft, supple and subtle.

And the word of mouth may have exploded into a much earlier than expected release this summer. Like Juno, it was intended for art houses at best, but I think the buzz from the happiness of those leaving the theater will take it somewhere much larger. Likely not to Juno 2008 $222+ million in the US levels, but certainly past any other art house film this year. Well at least I am predicting so.

At a Q&A I asked the director about filmmakers he liked. He mentioned John Hughes. When you see this as you must, keep your eye out for the magnificent Breakfast Club sequence that is so amazingly intimate, touching, funny, deep and sad all at once. This is what this film is, all of those things rolled up into what I will call in the end a great big happy pill that America needs badly right now.

Here's hoping they will take it.