I AM DAVID

REVIEWED BY RISSI C.

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: violence, thematic elements

Rated:

It's post World War II and families are still being torn apart due to new government disagreements. If a family is against the new government they are separated and sent to a cruel labor camp. Working day in and day out, the prisoners have little choice but to work for their spiteful keepers or they could be beaten or even shot on the spot.

Young David (Ben Tibber) can only recall this life and has little memory of anything else, except for the recollection of a mother tucking him in at night and whispering words of love. Hearing the voice of a man willing to risk his life in order for David to be free, David is given his chance to escape. He is instructed to take a letter to Denmark. With the thoughts of the man echoing in his head, David begins his long journey. Having been told to “blend in with the people around him” and to “trust no one,” David’s discovery of life outside the prison is both dangerous and exiting. He often thinks back to his life at the prison, where his protector Johannes (Jim Caviezel) told him that if they were to die, they couldn’t change anything.

David carries his thoughts with him as an encouragement to go on. Meeting an array of people along the way, David discovers both friends and enemies, and when encountering a kind gentle woman by the name of Sophie (Joan Plowright) David finds his first taste outside the camp of pure generosity and love. Where David’s journey to freedom leads him is both touching and a little surprising. Not having known much of anything about this film made it intriguing to watch. The main reason we decided to give it a try was the fact that James Caviezel is in it; he was simply brilliant in his portrayal of the betrayed Edmond Dantes in the action flick The Count of Monte Cristo. Most of the other films we have seen him in he has a lesser role, as is the case in this story. His part isn’t very big; David is the main character.

This film deals with mature element. While the war is over, the soldiers in charge of the camp are still cruel and make their prisoners work hard. A man is shot (implied) and others are whipped. We only see the soldier coming toward the person before the scene cuts away, as most if these images of violence are shown in flashbacks. David is frightened if someone gets too close, or seems to be a threat. Twice David is shown taking a bath. Despite more than half of this film being focused on David moving around on his journey, this wasn’t as tedious as it could have been. Normally “journey” films hold little interest for me, but this one moved faster during David’s quest, and the people he meets along the way are interesting even though their part was small and not very long. Because of these elements, it wasn't as tiresome as it could have been.

There are a few things so touching that they alone make the story worth seeing. The pure joy David gets in finding how soft a cat can be while petting one, his need for love and devotion that can be fixed by a simple hug, and his discovery of what a smile is, as well as how to do it. This film demands your attention the entire time as we are told many important things through series of flashbacks. How it ends was surprising to me. I is rather abrupt and not what I would have chosen, but it is complete in the sense that David’s expedition is now fulfilled. While I Am David has its faults and isn’t going to be a favorite, it was an interesting journey of discoveries, love and independence.