MY BODYGUARD is a reminder of the bully types we've all known that like to mess with teen-agers during those dangerous years at school and beyond. It takes a serious subject and turns it around by making it all appear to be a light-hearted look at the sport of being a school bully. However, in doing so it manages to be absorbing and pleasant entertainment with touches of humor at unexpected moments.
What could be criticized is the over-the-top fight that resolves the problem for our hero and causes the story to lose a sense of reality before it reaches a knockdown climactic fight at the conclusion.
Performances are all first rate--especially the comic turn by Ruth Gordon in one of her last film roles. Chris Makepiece does nicely in the central role as the innocent victim of all the taunting and Adam Baldwin (no relation to the Baldwin brothers) is intriguing and enigmatic as the strong guy he hopes will be his bodyguard.
A coming of age film that is easy to watch--if not always quite believable. It's guaranteed to bring shudders to those who were unfortunate enough to go through this kind of punishment during their teen years.
What could be criticized is the over-the-top fight that resolves the problem for our hero and causes the story to lose a sense of reality before it reaches a knockdown climactic fight at the conclusion.
Performances are all first rate--especially the comic turn by Ruth Gordon in one of her last film roles. Chris Makepiece does nicely in the central role as the innocent victim of all the taunting and Adam Baldwin (no relation to the Baldwin brothers) is intriguing and enigmatic as the strong guy he hopes will be his bodyguard.
A coming of age film that is easy to watch--if not always quite believable. It's guaranteed to bring shudders to those who were unfortunate enough to go through this kind of punishment during their teen years.