Simon Birch

Simon Birch

Destiny has big plans for little Simon Birch.

Directed by Mark Steven Johnson

Produced by Hollywood Pictures, Caravan Pictures

1998114 min6.9 / 10

A bittersweet coming-of-age story about two misfit boys navigating friendship, identity, and faith against a backdrop of small-town life and personal loss.

Simon Birch and Joe Wenteworth are boys who have a reputation for being oddballs. Joe never knew his father, and his mother, Rebecca, is keeping her lips sealed no matter how much he protests. Simon, meanwhile, is an 11-year-old dwarf whose outsize personality belies his small stature. Indeed, he often assails the local reverend with thorny theological questions and joins Joe on his quest to find his biological father.

Questions people ask

  • Is Simon Birch scary? Barely. Less frightening than 84% of films.

  • Is Simon Birch easy watching? Yes. More comforting than 77% of films.

  • Is Simon Birch violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.

  • Does Simon Birch end with hope? Somewhat. More hopeful than 65% of films.

  • Is Simon Birch sad? Somewhat. More sad than 61% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

58/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity55

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise54

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love65

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Everything like Simon Birch, and what each one shares →

Like Simon Birch

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Simon Birch

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Simon Birch, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Simon Birch, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Simon Birch, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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