The Freshman

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2004 Filmcritic.com

One of the most savagely underrated films of the 1990s, The Freshman is both touching and hilarious. The increasingly unlikely story has Matthew Broderick as a film school freshman from Vermont who gets caught up in the mob in New York City, where its boss is played by a mush-mouthed Marlon Brando, uncannily similar in appearance to a certain godfather. Strong supporting performances from Bruno Kirby, Frank Whaley, and Paul Benedict -- as Broderick's professor at film school, which is roundly pilloried -- elevate the film to minor classic status.

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Rating

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Cast and Crew

  • Director: Andrew Bergman
  • Producer: Mike Lobell
  • Screenwriter: Andrew Bergman
  • Stars: Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, Frank Whaley, Jon Polito, Paul Benedict
  • MPAA Rating: PG