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Grade: B

Verdict: A well-acted, if overly familiar, tale of an unlikely friendship.

Details: Starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sexual references. Two hours, 16 minutes.

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Review: See if this sounds familiar: A young man from the poor side of town surprises his slacker pals with his brain power, wins the love of an upper-crust girl and develops a combative relationship with an older man that ultimately brings out the best in them both.

Not only does “Finding Forrester” sound a lot like “Good Will Hunting,” it has the same director, Gus Van Sant. But while the movie touches on similar issues of class consciousness and self-discovery, it's more than just a retread. Filled with humanity and deft performances, it's a warm film about making connections and finding the courage to move ahead in life.

When we first meet him, 16-year-old Jamal (Rob Brown) seems like any other kid from the 'hood, hanging with his pals and shooting hoops. Except that Jamal's bedside bookshelf includes Chekhov, Mishima, de Sade, Kafka and Kierkegaard. Since he averages a no-effort C at school, it comes as a surprise when he scores through the roof on an aptitude test. Winning a full scholarship to a Manhattan prep school, he finds the administrators are as interested in his skills on the court as in the classroom.

The heart of the film isn't at school, but in the dark, woody apartment of Forrester (Sean Connery), a recluse who lives in Jamal's neighborhood. On a dare, Jamal breaks into the old man's apartment, but this prank break-in leads to an unexpected friendship when Forrester, famous for the single novel he wrote decades ago, becomes the young man's muse as a writer.

Theirs is a tough-love friendship. Forrester barks, “There'll be no questions about me, my family and why there was only one book.” You could say Connery has the psychiatrist role played by Robin Williams in “Good Will Hunting.” When he says about his phone, “I took the bell out 20 years ago,” or yells at the typing Jamal to “punch the keys, for chrissake,” Connery's leonine rumble grounds what could come across as eccentric cutesiness in the hands of another actor. It's his best work in years, and Brown, an acting newcomer, holds his own in their scenes together.

The movie offers a dual climax, one in the basketball court, one in the classroom. Yes, it's a little shameless, and in the film's final stretch, there's never any doubt Forrester will turn up to support Jamal in a moment of need. (The movie skirts dangerously into “Scent of a Woman” territory here, though Connery avoids Al Pacino's “hoo-hah” brand of overacting.)

The movie has one or two endings too many, and Van Sant makes the mistake of casting a “Good Will Hunting” actor in a small, crucial role in the last five minutes. It's an in-joke that has the unwanted effect of throwing you out of the movie.

The cast includes Anna Paquin as Jamal's tour guide (and possible girlfriend) at his new school, and Busta Rhymes as his brother. Then there's poor F. Murray Abraham as Jamal's supercilious English teacher; he can't keep his character from coming off as a pompous cartoon.

Written by first-time screenwriter Mike Rich, “Finding Forrester” is ultimately formulaic and familiar. What elevates it is Van Sant's supple, surprising filmmaking, and his gift for coaxing natural, appealing performances from his actors. He may have already told a version of the same story, but it's a story worth telling.

— Steve Murray, Cox News Service