"Yet another drama?" you may ask. But then nobody ever died from watching a good drama, which is exactly what this movie is.

Based on a book of the same title by John Irving, the movie tells the story of Homer Wells, a boy who grows to manhood in an orphanage called St. Clouds. Under the tutelage of Dr. Wilbur Larch, he learns much of medicine, but as he grows older, Homer yearns to see the world for himself. One day when a young couple comes to Dr. Larch for an abortion, he decides to follow them when they leave, to see the world for himself. Homer soon finds himself facing news sights, adventures, friendships, tragedy and love.

The movie is crafted well in terms of its feel and pace. One notable scene is when Homer sees the ocean for the first time. You actually feel his wonder and amazement. Tobey Maguire does a wonderful job of playing Homer Wells. Maguire, who was last seen in the movie Pleasantville, brings a quirky and real feel to his character. Micheal Caine also is expert in his potrayal of Dr. Larch, a gruff man, who loves Homer as a son, but does not show it openly. Caine deservedly received an Oscar nomination for this role.

I would recommend this movie to those of you who like a good drama, however if you're an action movie fan, steer clear of it. The movie has a running time of about 2 hours, so be forewarned. A good watch and definitely lives up to it's Oscar nominations.