Peter Fonda, Mira Sorvino, and Louis Gossett, Jr. Lead an All-Star Cast in Smitty

Feb. 29, 2012 - PRLog -- (Rock Rapids, IA) – Academy Award nominee Peter Fonda and Academy Award winners Mira Sorvino and Louis Gossett, Jr. star in Smitty, a coming-of-age family film now available at gobmg.com on DVD from Bridgestone Multimedia Group.

The story follows 13-year-old Ben Barrett (Brandon Tyler Russell), whose mischievous antics have become more than his struggling single mom (Sorvino) can handle. After Ben is caught vandalizing a restaurant, he is sent to Iowa to spend the summer on a farm with his tough grandfather, Jack (Fonda), who may be able to curb his grandson’s troublemaking tendencies. As soon as Ben arrives, however, he gets ready to run, sensing hard work that definitely was not part of his summer plans.

To give Ben a companion, Jack takes him to the local animal shelter, where Ben meets Smitty, a lovable mutt that was left behind by his owners. Between the dog and a friendly neighbor (Gossett, Jr.), Ben soon learns life lessons about friendship, family, and responsibility.

“Smitty is a movie about values, change, and the realization of the truly important things in life,” said Edwin L. Carpenter in his review for The Dove Foundation. “We see these lessons lived out in the lives of Ben, his mother, and grandfather. As the three of them come to learn who the others really are, they experience the necessity of family and friendship.”

Director David M. Evans is at home in this genre, in which he has delivered family-friendly movies like The Sandlot and The Final Season.

However, Smitty’s strength lies in its cast. The son of Henry and a brother to Jane, Peter Fonda has worked in Hollywood for four decades, earning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of a reclusive beekeeper in Ulee’s Gold. Mira Sorvino, daughter of actor Paul Sorvino from The Wild Stallion, won an Oscar in 1995 for best supporting actress, and Louis Gossett, Jr. won an Oscar in 1982 for best supporting actor.

In addition to Russell as Ben, Smitty also stars Booboo Stewart, Jason Landon, and Lolita Davidovich. Awarded The Dove Foundation’s Family-Approved Seal for all ages, the DVD is available for $16.96 at gobmg.com.

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Bridgestone Multimedia Group is a leading Christian media provider, offering family and faith-based entertainment DVDs and CDs that inspire and spread the message of hope.