![FISH AND PUDDLE cover image FISH AND PUDDLE cover image](https://www.kidsfirst.org/kidsfirst/images/db/titles/221328.jpg)
The story follows Ali Yazavani, a 12-year-old self-made inventor and a troublemaker, who has multiple troubles at school that cause him to get expelled, have a run-in with the law and issues with his classmates. He then gets an opportunity to go to a science camp with team of elites, but one simple error derails his dream. He loses everything after the second time he gets into trouble and has to prove to himself that he still has a place with the elites.
I like the story development; it follows this kid, who is a troubled inventor in-the-making. He has ideas after ideas and he will go extreme length to design blueprints for them, even at the cost of running into serious trouble. The story portrays the life of an inventor perfectly as it displays the tiring path the boy has to go through, the amount of disapproval of his ideas and the troubles he has to face. The sets show us that Ali's family is poor. I like the scene where Ali tries to redeem himself by creating a gyroplane and everyone works hard on it, showing how teamwork gets things done. The scene that impressed me most is when Ali goes to extreme lengths to get attention as he is jealous of a girl who usually gets all the attention. It shows his fierce determination to make sure he gets attention. He decides to use his newly built transmitter and put it up on the tower (something extremely dangerous) because he wants the attention and wants his invention to be noticed. Another scene that impressed me is when Ali, now 18 years old, is still following his dream of becoming an inventor. The camera work that impressed me the most are the close-ups that show Ali dealing with the aftermath of bad things he has done. This film takes place in Iran and we see Ali at school, home, the garden and his shop. His home seems to be a typical home in a village that would belong to a relatively poor family. Also of note are seeing how bikes are the widely used transportation. The background music is very suitable and supports the hopes of 12-year-old Ali when he has a variety of ideas to improve peoples' lives. When Ali leaves, the music supports the sadness that his mother has seeing him leave. The final piece that plays when the project is complete is sentimental music, which fits Ali perfectly. The actors all give professional performances. The actor that plays Ali (no name) perfectly portrays a typical teenager, someone that can be a troublemaker but also a hard worker. My favorite part is seeing Ali keep on pursuing his route of being an inventor. He decides to peruse his inventing idea despite the obstacles and frustrations he endures.
The message of this film is to follow your dreams, even if they are met with disapproval by people around you. Hardships you have will pay dividends later on. You should know that there are some moderate degrees of bullying in the film.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18, plus adults. It teaches a good moral lesson about not giving up on your dreams, despite massive disapprovals and sacrifices. Reviewed by Tom W., KIDS FIRST!
The story follows Ali Yazavani, a 12-year-old self-made inventor and a troublemaker, who has multiple troubles at school that cause him to get expelled, have a run-in with the law and issues with his classmates. He then gets an opportunity to go to a science camp with team of elites, but one simple error derails his dream. He loses everything after the second time he gets into trouble and has to prove to himself that he still has a place with the elites.
I like the story development; it follows this kid, who is a troubled inventor in-the-making. He has ideas after ideas and he will go extreme length to design blueprints for them, even at the cost of running into serious trouble. The story portrays the life of an inventor perfectly as it displays the tiring path the boy has to go through, the amount of disapproval of his ideas and the troubles he has to face. The sets show us that Ali's family is poor. I like the scene where Ali tries to redeem himself by creating a gyroplane and everyone works hard on it, showing how teamwork gets things done. The scene that impressed me most is when Ali goes to extreme lengths to get attention as he is jealous of a girl who usually gets all the attention. It shows his fierce determination to make sure he gets attention. He decides to use his newly built transmitter and put it up on the tower (something extremely dangerous) because he wants the attention and wants his invention to be noticed. Another scene that impressed me is when Ali, now 18 years old, is still following his dream of becoming an inventor. The camera work that impressed me the most are the close-ups that show Ali dealing with the aftermath of bad things he has done. This film takes place in Iran and we see Ali at school, home, the garden and his shop. His home seems to be a typical home in a village that would belong to a relatively poor family. Also of note are seeing how bikes are the widely used transportation. The background music is very suitable and supports the hopes of 12-year-old Ali when he has a variety of ideas to improve peoples' lives. When Ali leaves, the music supports the sadness that his mother has seeing him leave. The final piece that plays when the project is complete is sentimental music, which fits Ali perfectly. The actors all give professional performances. The actor that plays Ali (no name) perfectly portrays a typical teenager, someone that can be a troublemaker but also a hard worker. My favorite part is seeing Ali keep on pursuing his route of being an inventor. He decides to peruse his inventing idea despite the obstacles and frustrations he endures.
The message of this film is to follow your dreams, even if they are met with disapproval by people around you. Hardships you have will pay dividends later on. You should know that there are some moderate degrees of bullying in the film.
I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18, plus adults. It teaches a good moral lesson about not giving up on your dreams, despite massive disapprovals and sacrifices. Reviewed by Tom W., KIDS FIRST!
KIDS FIRST! Goes Local: Submit a review & win!