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The Freshman on DVD (1990)

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Average rating: 57%
4102083
3.0
from 657 members
 
Starring: Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, Frank Whaley, B.D. Wong, Bert Parks
Director: Andrew Bergman
Studio: SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time: 98 mins
Certificate: PG
Genres: Comedy
Languages: English
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Released: 20/05/2002

Brief synopsis of The Freshman

THE FRESHMAN is a wry and winsome film about Clark, a freshman film student (Matthew Broderick) in New York City, who is made an offer he can't refuse by a Mafia don (Marlon Brando) who is the spitting image of Don Corleone. As Clark weighs the romance against the danger of his association, he finds himself rapidly more involved. Brando, the Godfather himself, brilliantly (almost) reprises his famous role in this oddly affecting comedy.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Here's a chance to see a mellow Marlon Brando in his greatest comedy performance — a case of self-parody in which he plays a godfather figure making film student Matthew Broderick an offer he can't refuse: a job as a delivery boy, carting around exotic animals including a giant lizard. Writer/director Andrew Bergman's glorious spoof of Mafia ways spends too long satirising film-study pretension, but spins its screwball antics along at such a pace you can forgive it almost anything.

Los Angeles Times

"... What THE FRESHMAN demonstrates is that Brando can parody himself better than any of his imitators -- and still appear as regal as ever..."

New York Times

"...A witty and enchanted comedy....Propelled by the actors' straight-faced delivery to an ever more lunatic pitch..."

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsBrando deserves praise

Debbie from Scotland , 17/04/2005

Ok so it's not Brando's most brilliant movie, but it does not deserve the slating that it received from some so called critics. In this light comedy Broderick discovers that a local business man looks exactly like the Godfather from the movies. He becomes entrapped in his dodgey dealings and this movie follow's Broderick's plight as he is faced with the dillema of whether to turn the 'Godfather' in to the feds or stay loyal to him. I watched nervously as I had read some criticism about this movie, mainly regarding Brando's choice to reprise his role as Godfather in this comedy - as if it were somehow beneath him. I DISAGREE totally - I loved watching Brando as the Godfather again. He gave a fantastic performance and made me feel quite nostalgic. Even if the movie it's self lacked some credibility (what comedy doesn't?) you can't fault Brando's performance. For this reason I've given the movie 4 stars. If you have any respect for Marlon Brando as an actor then I really think it's worth you watching this.

  10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsThe Freshman

A customer from Bromley, Kent , 11/04/2006

Great easy watching film - nice one for a Sunday afternoon !

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsGreat entertainment

dexy from Farnborough , 19/10/2008

this film is a must see - I hadn't watched it for over 10 years and still found it as enjoyable as the first time. I've never seen it listed in TV - if you want to enjoy an hour and a half then I could not recommend this enough. Brando is superb, Kirkby is superb and Broderick is Broderick.

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Rated - 1 starsThe Freshman : Don't bother

A customer from Glasgow, Scotland , 23/07/2004

This film suffers from being outdated, but it's hard to imagine that it was in any danger of having much charm even at the time it was released. Matthew Broderick coasts along in his usual wide eyed victim of crazy events role, but the crazy events, while being a bit odd, just aren't very funny. Meanwhile, it is bloodcurdling to see Marlon Brando reprise his Godfather character in this way. Surely he didn't need the money?

  4 out of 9 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsThe Freshman

A customer from Bromley, Kent , 11/04/2006

Great easy watching film - nice one for a Sunday afternoon !

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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