Tom and Huck (1995)

Tom and Huck isn't a great movie, but it's a good way for kids to be introduced to the characters of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Although it may be a bit intense for children under six, since the plot revolves around a murderer and his plot for revenge. And even though this movie is set in the 1840s, it has a strong 90s feel to it. Whatever happened to Jonathan Taylor Thomas?

Fmovies: Nineteenth century Mississippi River boy Jonathan Taylor Thomas (as Tom Sawyer) tries to runaway to New Orleans with his pals, but has to abort the mission with a bloody forehead. As punishment, young Thomas is directed to whitewash a fence, by guardian Amy Wright (as Aunt Polly). Thomas cleverly gets neighborhood lads to finish the job. He shares adventures with rebellious best-friend Brad Reno (as Huckleberry "Huck" Finn) and pretty girl-friend Rachael Leigh Cook (as Becky Thatcher).

While nothing to write Mark Twain about, the Disney studio's follow-up to their "The Adventures of Huck Finn" (1993) is serviceable. Both films would have (and will) be much more appealing to the elementary and primary school set, who will hopefully read the books. Strengths from the earlier version look better with a simpler music score and more appropriate leads. One wishes they had waited on the previous film to release as a sequel to this "Tom and Huck", as the original author intended.

***** Tom and Huck (12/22/95) Peter Hewitt ~ Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Brad Renfro, Eric Schweig, Rachael Leigh Cook

Oh, where to begin with this movie. I'll start with some of the good: Eric Schweig was perfectly cast as the murderous, intimidating, menacing Injun Joe. If I could create my own Tom Sawyer classic movie, I'd recast him. Same with Michael McShane as Muff Potter. Jonathan Taylor Thomas sounds like the perfect Tom Sawyer on paper; he does have a history of playing rambunctious, trouble-making boys, and he has a special place in my heart as Simba from The Lion King, my favorite Disney movie. But here...he's just alright. He doesn't have as much of the edge that made Tom Sawyer such a fascinating, dynamic character. Most of the blame for that goes to the writers though; I'm sure Thomas would have done much better had he been given better material to work with. Everyone else was sorely miscast (i.e Huckleberry Finn, Becky Thatcher, Aunt Polly, Widow Douglas, Joe Harper, etc.), and the characters who did have decent casting (Judge Thatcher, Ben Rogers, Mr. Dobbins, etc.) didn't stand out very much.

No attempt was made to create the atmosphere of Tom Sawyer (the dialect, the plot, the setting, the characters, etc.) Every boy, including Tom Sawyer, went barefoot in the book, but in the movie they all wore shoes. This may not seem like a big deal, but it's part of the edge Tom Sawyer and his friends have in the book; they're not afraid to get down and dirty in the adventures they have, and the boys who do wear shoes in the book are looked down upon as sissies.

Huckleberry Finn in the books was carefree, laid-back, and is satisfied with his independent lifestyle. Although he is despised by every "respectable" adult in St. Petersburg, he's envied and friends with most of the children, and he doesn't feel sorry for himself. Brad Renfro's Huck is snide, irritable, sarcastic, and even somewhat of a bully, nothing at all like Twain's Huck. This Huck DOES feel sorry for himself, and often takes his frustrations out on Tom.

Becky Thatcher in the book is a bit too demure and puts on airs. But she isn't a bitch. In the book, Tom gets back into her good graces by taking the hit for her (literally) and their relationship grows even stronger in the cave scene. In the movie, she's portrayed as a bitch plain and simple; in fact she holds a continuous grudge against Tom throughout the movie, which makes their bonding in the cave scene really forced. Not to mention that Rachael Leigh Cook as Becky Thatcher is probably the worst case of miscasting in this movie; she was way too old and was a good two heads taller than Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

Disney could have made their own version of Tom Sawyer great, especially with Jonathan Taylor Thomas as the lead. What a wasted, missed opportunity.

Tom and Huck fmovies. There are things that Tom and Huck does do right. The three best things about it are the production values, the score and Eric Schweig as Injun Joe. The film looks very pretty with quite evocative costumes and sets, while the score is both memorable and relaxing. Schweig is perfect as Injun Joe and genuinely menacing, though the writers perhaps go a little overboard with the villainous and somewhat violent side to him. Brad Renfro does do well as Huck, the character does come across as too sullen and hard but Renfro is suitably mischievous and brings some fun amongst bringing out a somewhat conflicted side to Huck. There are some effective scenes, the graveyard scene is very atmospheric and the moment when Injun Joe starts to stir/stirs when Tom is reaching for the map sends chills up the spine. The whitewashing scene is very charming as well.

There are some mixed feelings assets here. Jonathan Taylor Thomas(of whom Tom and Huck is like a vehicle for him early in his career) makes for a spirited Tom but the more dramatic moments(the courtroom scene is quite good though) show signs of inexperience. Peter Hewitt's filmography has been hit and miss, Tom and Huck is one of his better films and thankfully is not another Zoom or Thunderpants but his best film will always be Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey(that and The Borrowers, of the films I've seen so far of his, are the only ones that have ratings better than decent).

Tom and Huck does have its failings though, the worst case was the grossly out-of-kilter way Becky was written, if there is a more selfish and bitchy Becky on any film adaptation of Tom Sawyer it's yet to be seen and Rachael Leigh Cook while attractive does come across as forced and stereotypical-teen-like in her acting. There are some fun moments injected in the more nostalgic and charming moments seen in the first half but the second half, where it's all suspense thriller and Injun Joe on the rampage feels like a different film altogether, the two halves just juxtapose too much. The crucial scenes are there even when the adaptation is quite loose but the heart is lacking. The funeral scene falls flat being very under-characterised and rushed through, and the "engagement" scene came across as overly-sentimental(an attempt by Disney to make the story more timely) and awkward as well. The worst bit of dialogue was Becky's "What? I'm not the first? I hope you die", not only is it a terrible and shallow thing to say in the first place but it is something that Becky would never dream of saying. Much of the dialogue is weak, not just that line from Becky but the whole style is not very nuanced and it feels at times too modern. Little attempt also is made to bringing Missouri's dialect, language and how they speak, the production values did a great job in being evocative, why didn't the writing make an effort too? And this is coming from someone to makes a big effort in judging films/TV series/literary adaptations on their own terms. Other than Huck, Injun Joe and to a lesser extent Tom, the rest of the actors suffer from their characters being underdeveloped and don't register as a result really.

To conclude, Tom and Huck is alright as a film though with many problems but along with the Soviet film(with the bad dubbing, pacing and editing) it is one of the weaker adaptations of a great book. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Tom Sawyer (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) runs away and is rescued by Huck Finn (Brad Renfro). They see Injun Joe and Muff Potter digging up the grave of Vic 'One-Eyed' Murrell to retrieve a treasure map for Doctor Robinson. Injun Joe murders Doc Robinson with Muff's knife. Muff is arrested for the murder. Tom is torn between an oath to Huck and his need to exonerate an innocent man.

The production looks weak. This Disney doesn't have the needed edge and doesn't even have Disney money. The story has too many killings to be a kiddie movie. The movie doesn't have the grittiness to feel real. Jonathan Taylor Thomas used to be a thing back in the day. He's cute with a twinkle in his eye. I don't lay too much on him. He just doesn't have the toughness unlike Brad Renfro. Rachael Leigh Cook is a cutie in this one. This movie's tone is all over the place.

A mischievous young boy, Tom Sawyer (Jonathan Taylor Thomas),witnesses a murder by the deadly Injun Joe. Tom becomes friends with Huckleberry Finn (Brad Renfro), a boy with no future and no family.

Going through the Top 250 lists from various years, somehow this ended up on the list for 1996. Of all the lists from 1996 through 2014, this first list is the most bizarre. Others have films that clearly do not belong, but none more than the 1996 list. And this is a prime example. How did a film that barely ranks above 5 out of 10 manage to be considered one of the best of all time? Not that this is a bad film. As far as kid stories go, it is alright, and not the worst introduction to the world of Mark Twain. But it is clearly not intended to be a masterpiece, but more like something one might see on the Hallmark channel. Just a showcase for the now-forgotten Jonathan Taylor Thomas.