"School Ties," which looks too much like "Dead Poets Society," has Brandon Fraser (the caveman in "Encino Man") going to a Catholic prep school for his final year of high school on a football scholarship.
He's Jewish but keeps that to himself, even when his fellow students offer up crass ethnic jokes and slurs.
Eventually, it comes out, however, and Fraser must deal with having his friends turn on him and his girlfriend dump him. Is it because they feel betrayed that he kept it from them, as they claim, or just because he's Jewish?
The film sets up more ideas than it really explores with any depth and there are moments in the film that seem incomplete — especially when one student seems to be committing suicide but instead has a nervous breakdown. And it's all far too predictable and mired in cliches and stereotypes (WASP stereotypes, if not Jewish).
But there are some effective moments, including a slight twist at the end. And if the film manages to prompt any of its young audience to think about the issues of prejudice and bigotry, then its good intentions will have succeeded quite well.
"School Ties" is rated PG-13 for violence, locker room nudity, profanity, vulgarity and ethnic slurs.