Themes: Death in the Family, Crisis of Faith, Coping With Puberty
Main Cast: Joseph Cross, Dana Delany, Denis Leary, Robert Loggia
Release Year: 1998
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
In this film by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan, a young boy learns lessons about life and God during a trying year of discovery in fifth grade at a Catholic boys' school. As the school year opens, Joshua Beal (Joseph Cross) is despondent over the recent death of his grandfather (Robert Loggia). On his first day at school, Joshua is harassed by the class bully. Because his grandfather played football, Joshua tries out for the school team, over the objections of his parents (Dana Delaney and Denis Leary), two physicians who don't like the risk of injury. But Joshua is inept athletically and does not make the team. Joshua continues to seek answers from God about his grandfather, so his teacher, Sister Terry (Rosie O'Donnell), advises him to approach a cardinal who is coming to visit the nearby girls school. Joshua meets a young girl at the school and falls for her. As the year goes by, Joshua continues his quest for spiritual answers and finds them in unexpected places, such as a winter snowstorm. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Rosie O'Donnell - Sister Terry; Camryn Manheim - Sister Sophia; Vicki Giunta - Sister Beatrice; Julia Stiles - Neena Beal; Heather Casler - Hope; Dan Lauria - Father Peters; Stefan Niemczyk - Frank Benton; Michael Pacienza - Freddie Waltman; Michael Shulman - Robert Brickman; Jaret Ross Barron - Dan; Jarrett Abello - John; Joseph Melito, Jr. - Billy; Peter A. Urban, Jr. - Newman; Jahmal Curtis - Student; Michael Craig Bigwood - Little Boy; Gil Robbins - Cardinal Geary; Marc H. Glick - Father Sebastian; Robert K. O'Neill - Young Priest; Deborah Stern - Mrs. Waltman; Joey Perillo - Mr. Waltman; Jerry Walsh - Football Coach; Liam Mitchell - Gym Teacher; Charles Techman - Janitor; Antoine McLean - Wilson; Arleen Goman - Mrs. Pitman; Mets Suber - Race Starter
Credit
Timothy Lonsdale - Associate Producer, David Marks - Boom Operator, Avy Kaufman - Casting, James Bigwood - Co-producer, Bridget Kelly - Costume Designer, Carla Bowen - First Assistant Director, M. Night Shyamalan - Director, Andrew Mondshein - Editor, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Meryl Poster - Executive Producer, Randy Ostrow - Executive Producer, Janice Kinigopoulos - Hair Styles, Derrick Loris - Location Manager, Edmund Choi - Composer (Music Score), Joseph Hurt - Makeup, Robuin Buerki - Camera Operator, David Knox - Camera Operator, Phil Oetiker - Camera Operator, Michael Johnston - Production Designer, Adam Holender - Cinematographer, Scott Currie - Production Manager, Cary Woods - Producer, Cathy Konrad - Producer, Andrea Fenton - Set Designer, Norman Dodge - Special Effects, Edward A. III Drohan - Special Effects, Brian Miksis - Sound Mixer, Brian Miksis - Sound/Sound Designer, Billy Anagnos - Stunts Coordinator, M. Night Shyamalan - Screenwriter
Although it was made in 1995, the film was not released until 1998. The script was written in 1991. It was nominated for "Best Family Feature — Drama" and "Best Performance in a Feature Film — Leading Young Actor" at the 1999 Young Artist Awards. It is the only Shyamalan-directed film to date in which the director does not make a cameo appearance. Shyamalan has described Wide Awake as a comedy that he hoped would also make people cry.
The film revolves around the themes of family, growing up, and finding truth through personal endeavour. The story is told through the eyes of ten-year-old Joshua Beal (Joseph Cross) who during the course of his year in the fifth grade, begins his personal search mission to find answers about truths about life and death, a journey triggered by the death of his beloved grandfather (Robert Loggia).[1]
Josh is a fifth grader at Waldron Mercy Academy, a private Catholic boys' school (in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia suburb, where Shyamalan attended and where much of the movie is filmed). The adults in his world have not been able to convince him that his grandfather is in good hands, so he sets out on a personal mission to find God. In their varying ways he is guided on his metaphorical journey by his best friend Dave (Timothy Reifsnyder) and a baseball-loving nun (Rosie O'Donnell), who teaches at his school. The film depicts Josh's doubts about his religion as he questions if God truly exists, particularly when Dave is diagnosed with epilepsy and the moments as Josh experiences his first crush. As his academic year comes to end he finds his answer in an unexpected way.[2]
