Skip to content ↓


The Responsibility Project®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Sunday Sep 05


Tony

Film Details ///

Tony

Tate Donovan stars in this George Clooney-produced film about recovering a child’s lost teddy bear.

October 22, 2008 Comments (688)


Contributors ///

Director:
Grant Heslov

Find More ///


Share this short URL /// http://sharerp.com/6x

 

Embed Embed icon


688 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

  • November 4, 2008 by MIsty Singer

    Great video, the things we do for our kids!

    Reply

    • November 5, 2008 by Matthew

      That was a great short movie. We all would travel to the ends of our earth, to make our kids happy.

      Reply

      • November 6, 2008 by louis lance

        film is well done but does prove a scripture "As for My people children are there oppressors and woman rule over them." Isaiah 3:12
      • April 2, 2009 by Anastasia Helton

        This was great!!!! Being a parent I to would do whatever it took for my kids...but I love the fact that everyone pitched into help that was awesome!!! I wish the world was like that more often, heck even all the time. And the reaction he got from his son exactly what I would have gotten too from my own :-)
      • June 7, 2009 by gloria richmond

        I loved the movie. It reminded me of something I did for my daughter when she was leaving for camp. We were having lunch at Hasty House, a favorite restaurant of ours years ago. My daughter wore a retainer for her braces and it was thrown out. I went behind the restaurant and went through all the garbage with my bare hands and disinfected it when we got home. Such a relief as there was no time to get another one made in time for her to leave for camp the next morning. This movie brought it all back. How much we love our kids. She is grown with a child of her own. Thanks again! Gloria Richmond
      • August 14, 2009 by Danielle C

        that was really cool. I loved the taxi driver, "do you see this? he is emailing in his fancy car. he must have too much money or something."
      • January 16, 2010 by Pauline Stojkovic

        Yes, a wonderful little short film to mark our maternal instincts down to the core. This film also restores my faith in human 'kind'. What a wonderful following willing to go down for the right cause. Almost got teary eyed? Right out bawled up until the end where I had a nicely wet face with a big smile across it!!!!
      • June 23, 2010 by Beverly Grimes

        I cried, I laughed, but at the end of the day God ONLY knows!

      • July 14, 2010 by Dr. Dusty Duty

        Do unto others, as you woud have them do to you. GREAT FILM. gREAT MESSAGE.

    • November 13, 2008 by henry geovanny melara figueroa

      This video is good to understand everything about nyspace.

      Reply

      • June 7, 2009 by DEBRAH BOWELLO

        The dad broke his neck to find the teddy bear and the spoiled child seemed to have cared less!!!! He may have been ill, but it didn't matter. The dad took a plane, a taxi, had people break rules and the child didn't appear interested!!!! Hope the dad learned a lesson.
      • May 28, 2010 by Peg

        Wow, you don't get it at ALLLL. The reason the kid didn't seem to care was because he absolutely and totally had faith that his father would get the bear back. He had no doubt that it would happen. He did not know what the father went through to get the bear, all he knew was his dad did what dads do. Fix things.

      • June 6, 2010 by Paul Thunberg

        I agree with Peg. THAT is the lesson of the film. Notice the expression on "Dad's" face at the end. Satisfaction.

    • April 4, 2009 by NORA MACHADO

      I am deaf and have been waiting to hear about these videos that are closed caption. Did not know that those videos come on? Just found out too late tonight. Will check them out tomorrow and thanks for making my day a great one. I am speaking for many deaf people out there. Thanks again and keep up the good work. I will gladly watch this movie tomorrow (TONY). Nora

      Reply

    • August 17, 2009 by mfish

      Sorry, I don't get the point of this waste of time video

      Reply

      • April 18, 2010 by misa

        isn't the point of the short film saying doing random act of kindness can sometimes get you far? at least that's how i saw the film. you don't necessarily have to know someone personal to do something kind....and i think many people are looking at this in the wrong way

      • May 30, 2010 by sonia soto

        hi there is a lesson to be learned here if you did not get it watch the movie again. the movie was cute and it shows how much a father loves his son to go through all of that when buying a new one would of been much easier his son at the end did not show any interest we have to remember that young children are that way they only focus on what they are doing at that moment the child did not go with the father so he doesn't know the hell the father went through to get the bear. as for the father and to all parents we do what is in our reach our child have to learn to deal with certain situations no one said the world is a bowl of chocolate. nice movie . sonia soto i am not a parent but i respect all of you that are.if you plan on being one good luck just remember a child is 4 life you can't rent them or put a 4 sale tag my best to all

      • July 11, 2010 by Carlyn

        What do you mean - waste of time - You don't have any children do you? It is a perfect example of what loving parents do for their children.

      • July 23, 2010 by colin

        plane ticket = 200$ cab ride = 25$ son not caring = priceless cloth and feed a homeless person, maybe even three = UNDER 225$ the message i got (and i am nobody) yuppies only care for their own. Rich white slobs (i am a white nobody by the way) only care for their own. (not saying hes a bad father, just that he could have helped someone that would have actually cared that he put in the effort)

      • August 26, 2010 by Lynn Ramirez

        Loved it. I so wish we all could be as kind. I can't image a Las Vegas Cop or really a LA cop doing that. It wasn't all about the Dad, of course he did that out of love for his Child but it was about All those other people having compassion and empathy for the Dad and sick child Please do more of these short movies and put them all over the internet. Just popping up. Maybe just maybe a kinder world?

      • August 30, 2010 by Gabriela from Mexico

        For sure you are not a father. am I right? that was you don't understand the message of the film. By the wa I'm actress and for me it is an extraordinary script,cast and directed.congrats.

    • November 9, 2009 by Tonya Allen

      Thanks So Much Tony for this Movie,It is very Inspiring to me.I really enjoyed it.

      Reply

    • November 22, 2009 by Rory Cejas

      Great film. Love how everyone pitched in. (Liberty Mutual Style) His son's reaction in the end didn't surprise me. Atleast they kept it realistic!

      Reply

    • December 18, 2009 by Chris Slagter

      nice film. cute story line. (lower-case intentional). How much more telling it is when we realize what our Father sacrificed for us! And, how much more pitiable it is when we realize that we'd rather "finish this show" than praise Him and thank Him. You think plane fare, cab fare, dinner, lodging, time, and hassle is a lot to spend on a child? What has He spent, suffered, and sacrificed for us?

      Reply

      • July 26, 2010 by moses

        Now that that a step further, and think, what our heavenly father has done for us.

        I like this film because it shows both sides of the coin. The father's instinctive self-sacrificial love for the son. And yet the self-centered nature in all of us as seen by the child in his lack of gratitude. Yet the Father never stopped loving his son.

    • December 23, 2009 by Noel Cielo

      OK, it made me cry. It's amazing what the possibilities are for healing people, and the planet, if we draw together, ACT compassionately. Love is a verb!, it takes action. Have a Blessed Holiday, and New Year, pray that we become better humans! Noel

      Reply

    • January 19, 2010 by Sheila Rosado

      There's no limit. It's all about love.

      Reply

    • March 24, 2010 by Bro. David Brown

      We should keep our focus on Jesus!!! God said in (Isaiah 9:16, The Leaders of this "WORLD" are leading my people astray(down the wrong "PATH"!!! I feel that everyone older, should be leading the younger generation towards "GOD"!!!!!! GOD, gave his "SON "ALL of his Powers!!, All of our SALVATION!!!! My point is Jesus can heal Cancer, aid's a broken-heart or any other issue of life thats bothering God's people! But First, we have to get to know God!, then trust & believe what he tell's us!!!! (Matthew 6:33 says, But first seek the Kingdom of GOD and his Righteousness, and everything else will be added unto you!!! So thats what we need to do. We need to seperate Ourselves from this chaotic,evil, & wicked world!! Jesus Christ will supply all our needs, according to his riches & glory!!!!!!!

      Reply

    • May 5, 2010 by Mike

      I thought it was a pretty dumb movie because it was almost like it was just too easy. Not real life like. Would of been better if it didn't play out like expected. Not all real life have happy endings. Nice to see a film that shows it how it is now days. Would of been a good movie even if he didn't find the teddy bear. It was the effort he put forth to try. Not always about succeeding.

      Reply

      • May 28, 2010 by Peg

        This movie was actually real. This really did happen. It was featured on This American Life in 1999 on their father's day special. The movie was about 99% faithful to the actual events that happened. (Different hotel involved and the trash was much worse than what they showed).

    • May 15, 2010 by shirley patterson

      I love this video, its great. Kids really keep you on your toes!

      Reply

    • May 19, 2010 by Jim jetton

      Goodness has a matching mood and goodness comes with love. Both energize the family.

      Reply

    • June 4, 2010 by Mary

      Bravo, well done and thank you for bringing thsi message to light fo reveryone. Mary

      Reply

    • June 8, 2010 by Ms Thomas

      If we been thru this, we know the feeling that we have when we've been thru what we've had to go thru to find it (attached item), the child does'nt know til they will go thru as a parent..these are unrewarded moments..we do anyway.

      Reply

    • June 16, 2010 by Julie Belshe

      We as parents will do whatever it takes to make our children happy, but isn't the truth that if we're doing the right thing they will grow up to be the parents to make their children happy. Do the right thing and produce the right parents for the future

      Reply

    • June 17, 2010 by Anita

      Beautiful film. Reminded me of my childhood and the great love my parents had for me. I lost my friend, Chico, on the Silver Star train from Ocala to New York. Chico was a brown, stuffed monkey with a long tail, big ears and the best smile in the world. I cried for days. About a month later, my parent's friend, George (who was a drunk), brought him back to me. All the way from New York. Thank you for reminding me what community really means. All of it. The children, the parents, the friends with issues and Chico.

      Reply

    • June 27, 2010 by rhonda johnson

      thank you-thankyou I truely needed to something like this today.

      Reply

    • July 15, 2010 by vipulluthra

      what is golden rule

      Reply

    • July 18, 2010 by Betty

      Love knows no boundries.

      Reply

    • July 19, 2010 by George Jimenez

      Great film for teaching purposes specially in teaching values and attitudes to teenagers.

      George

      Reply

    • July 23, 2010 by ANN COUSIN

      WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY OF HUMAN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE IF PEOPLE SHARED GENUINE CONCERNS FOR EACH OTHER AND ARE WILLING TO HELP WHEN SOMEONE IS IN NEED. I LOVED IT.

      Reply

    • July 31, 2010 by Nzingha

      such a beautiful and touching film...how could anyone with a heart not be touched by it...yes, the things we do for our kids..its called LOVE! and it shows that there are still good people out there in the world . Notice it's always the poor and humble people tho... who take the time to share and care!

      Reply

    • September 2, 2010 by Joan Taylor

      I had a teddy bear. When my parents got a divorce in l950, they sent me away. First to summer camp in the mountains for 5 weeks....I was only 6. So I cried all over my teddy every night...under the stars and pines in an army cot in front of a cabin. But things got better. When I returned they sent me to my Grandma's home in Illinois, from California by my self on a plane (the stewardesses were so good to me). Visiting my Grandma for the rest of the summer (about 6 weeks) changed my life. I do not even remember what happened to my teddy bear, although I am sure it must have been with me. Moral of the story: A real Grandma is worth all the teddy bears in the whole world. Now I have the real Jesus, and my life has truly "been worth it all".

      Reply

    • September 2, 2010 by teena

      That was so true,we do that kind of stuff for our children all the time

      Reply

    • September 4, 2010 by Murray Rowley

      Real life stories are the most touching accounts....hats off for the writers and producers here. George Clooney, you're a big star in Hollywood but you've still got your focus on important things!

      I did this once! Our 10 year old foster child took his teeth braces out at McDonalds and packed it into the garbage by mistake after eating his MacMeal! We went back and I asked the guy doing the garbage where to find that days garbage bags. He showed me 6 BIG bags of garbage to sort through. We took em all home (an unusual request), tipped the first bag out in the basement and started looking for the braces through all those Cokes and half-eaten Macs! Yuk! But, no kidding, we found the braces in the first bag! Our boy was so excited he put the braces straight into his mouth....from the garbage pile straight into his mouth! :-) Like I said, it's a real life story!

      Reply

  • November 7, 2008 by Deb Conner

    This film really made my day. I almost got teary eyed when the father found "Tony" in the pile of rubbish. Good job, dad!

    Reply

    • September 3, 2009 by marc lovence richmond

      Hi, people of amarica think that we should not have our rights to do what we want but if you are older than 18 or older than20 if people want it that way. kids like my age should not try to do what they want like me i don't try to do what do do what i want because i am 19years old and that was my respond!

      Reply

    • February 15, 2010 by jess

      sad, really story about the lost bear..but I beat you don't cry when you see the news about war.....men why americans are so selfish...they cry with tv and laught or ignore the real world

      Reply

      • April 25, 2010 by C Frederick

        The reason people cry when they see things like this and not when viewing the "realistic" news is because the tears are for the wish, the hope, the faith...and maybe even the sadness from knowing that stories like this are not the real goings-on in our society. When we are so de-sensitized by all the crime and wickedness in this world, to see stories where people go to any lengths...especially to help a stranger (anyone in need) is heartwarming and we just wish that the everyday world had people that strong and generous giving of themselves-their time, their money, their own sweat and physical labor to meet a goal, no matter how small or large that goal may be. I know that we do see a few stories like that on the news every now and then...truth is in a society where you have a vast number-millions of Christians out there...we Don't see Nearly Enough Randoms Acts of Kindness.

  • November 8, 2008 by EMILY ANDRE

    Being a mother of two, I know how it feels when your child cannot locate their special toy. That father was just the best! That goes to show you that some parents stop at nothing when it comes to their child or children. Blessings to the writer, director and actors of this film. It was just a joy to watch – awesome.

    Reply

  • November 9, 2008 by Anthony Mitarotondo

    The father arrives home, hands his son his "TONY" and, and... Well, it's an ending you don't expect. People. It's about people, from all walks of life coming together to help one another. The reason is unimportant but it's the actions of those who care, those who will take the time out of their lives to do extraordinary things regardless of the outcome. We see and read about people like that every day. We can BE people like that.... every day. Thanks.

    Reply

    • June 21, 2009 by Wade Xavier

      If it's about "people," they why didn't the father teach that lesson? Instead, he taught the kid that "it's about things." And was the child grateful? No.

      Reply

  • November 10, 2008 by Linda

    It's easy to understand what a parent would go thru for their child. Especially one that is ill. This was a great film that left me in tears

    Reply

  • November 11, 2008 by Connie Schubert

    Really neat example of parental love and kindness of other people. a nice story.

    Reply

  • November 11, 2008 by Denise Jorvig

    How beautiful that a child can bring together people of all walks of life. Shouldn't we all be this way for everyone? What a wonderful world this would be! Let's all try harder and set new examples- maybe others will learn by our example.

    Reply

  • November 11, 2008 by Pasquale Bottiglieri

    the day to day world and finding a purpose in life that exceeds the boundaries of what we refer to as the scientific method requires the ability to dream and to feel and, most especially, to care about something or someone other than self. Those who have had that experience and taken the path provided are the very lucky ones. I read recently of a youngster who opted against a heart transplant after many operations and years of painful chemotherapy and whose parents honored and respected that decision even in the face of criticism because they knew knew and respected and loved their child as a separate person from them who had thought it through and decided. A thoughtful, provocative piece of work. Thanks!

    Reply

    • September 9, 2009 by sabrina blue

      hi tyra i am 22 years old with two kids in i have been told all my life that i look 12 years old in want to know is there any way that you can help me look my age.

      Reply

  • November 12, 2008 by Kristey Cohen

    This is totally what my husband and I went through the night we moved to St. Louis and stayed in a hotel before moving into our house. My 7 year old daughter's teddy bear, "kitty", was left in the room when we checked out. A day and numerous phone calls later, we were told it was in a lost and found closet. We drove back to the hotel and were then told the teddy bear had been thrown out. My husband and I spent a few hours inside the giant hotel dumpster looking for it. Let me tell you, it was way messier and grosser than in this short movie! Needless to say we didn't find her, but a week later we received a phone call that "kitty" had mysteriously reappeared in the lost and found closet. The managers had told the staff what we did to try and find her and I think someone who had taken her felt guilty enough and returned her. A happy ending is the most wonderful miracle of them all!! Three years later and she still has "kitty".

    Reply

  • November 12, 2008 by kristin

    Who is the actor that plays the plant manager? I have seen him, as well as the cab driver in other films. Great film. It shows true altruism in the sacrifices we make for our children.

    Reply

  • November 13, 2008 by Defender of Logic

    I cannot believe what a ridiculous waste of time this video was. Here's the lesson. Bust your ### and involve a bunch of strangers (yeah that would really happen) to do something nice for your sick child and have him be not even grateful. What a crock. I don't see what this has to do with responsibility at all. This is why you should always have 2 of everything your child loves. If he loses one, break out the back-up. Or better yet, teach your kid a lesson. If you don't pay attention to your personal property it will get lost and you will have to get over it. You notice that the two previous examples were that the children lost their blanket and action figure and were sad. Did it kill the child? No, it taught them a lesson to keep track of their stuff. It is their responsibility to hold onto their favorite items. It is not the responsibility of the parent to waste hours of his and everyone elses to go on a wild goose chase. Plus, there is no way a cop in LA is going to not give a ticket and instead be extremely helpful. LA cops are notorious for writing frivolous tickets as a means to generate revenue. This movie was terrible. Don't watch it. You'll never get those 13 minutes back.

    Reply

    • November 14, 2008 by A Concerned One

      It's obvious that you either don't have children or have taught your children differently than most parents. If you had been paying attention during those 13 minutes, you would have realized that the hotel cleaning staff mistakenly threw the bear away. It wasn't the child's fault at all. Furthermore, as you can see from most of the people commenting on this short video, we'd bend over backwards for our kids, whether sick or not to make them happy. As Woopie Goldberg once said, "Why can't we make the world Disneyland for our children?" I, for one, would do anything to make my child happy and I'd rather go on a wild goose chase, in order to teach my child that there are people, including myself, in this world that would do anything to make a child happy again, than to teach them that life is full of disappointments. That is the true lesson.

      Reply

      • June 7, 2010 by Labtyd

        LOL!!!! So explain to me how... "This is why you should always have 2 of everything your child loves. If he loses one, break out the back-up."... teaches a lesson of being responsible. This seems to be very contradictory.

      • June 7, 2010 by Labtyd

        LOL!!!! So explain to me how... "This is why you should always have 2 of everything your child loves. If he loses one, break out the back-up."... teaches a lesson of being responsible. This seems to be very contradictory.

    • November 15, 2008 by Joe Orlandino

      What a crock of s#@t. Touchy, feelie, manipulative b.s. Hmmm, how about replacing the suburban, gold-card-carrying-jump-on-the-next-flight white guy with the latino janitor? Maybe a stars & bars redneck with a gun rack in his pick up? Cancer patient kid, swelling strings BG music?...Nice touch. All too easy. Would we come together like a village and get all weepy if the kid was a pre-teen Paris Hilton type who lost her American Girl doll? How easily we are led. Any Rand has GOT to be spinning. Yeah....I want my 13:02 back.

      Reply

    • November 17, 2008 by Everything is relative

      You are accurate "Defender of logic". Only that there are more than 13 minutes wasted. I want to add: wouldn't that father spend the time and money better of comfort the kid, be with him and do something worth remembering? Instead of taking a chance? What if he didn't find it? Double up (sorry down). What's the meaning with unthankful kid? I agree: stupid movie! The only good thing about it, that it was a man doing that stupid thing (just joking). PS. I am a woman in NYC :)

      Reply

    • November 19, 2008 by Eric Beck

      Was it me, or did it seem that EVERY, SINGLE time a half-way decent person would express EXTREME gratitude at the lengths some stranger was offering him, the Father had this sort of detached and/or reticent attitude. Would it have killed him to say, "Hey Guys, Thanks!"? But no. Not with this guy. Detached. And you wonder why the kid hasn't an inkling of gratitude?!? This film CLEARLY teaches BAD parenting.

      Reply

      • July 6, 2010 by Bob

        I would suspect the father was not aloof, but rather preoccupied with the thought, "How the heck am I going to find Tony?" In my life, I have been absorbed in thought and everyone else's actions around me just continue to happen.

        He strikes me as being distraught, hoping for the best and surely it does. I remember the story on This American Life about 10 years ago - the world needs many more of these caring parents.

        Have a great one!

    • May 5, 2010 by Denson,Travis R.

      Just let God work it out, hes in controll anyway.

      Reply

    • July 11, 2010 by Carlyn

      What a Downer ! Are you always such a buzz-kill? It was a good example of parental love.

      Reply

  • November 13, 2008 by Phillip Barnhart

    Defender of Logic -> I hope you aren't a father. If you are, I hope your children find a way to forgive you when they are older. Liberty Mutual - You earned yourself a potential customer. Thank you so much for providing a venue for this movie.

    Reply

    • March 10, 2010 by Joe

      If they earned a potential customer from supporting that crap then you are a fool. They have an agenda; to earn $$$ and you fell for it.

      Reply

    • March 10, 2010 by Joe

      Thank you. Thank you for reminding me why I moved out of Los Angeles recently and will never return. What a great job of stereotyping the characters. Yeah, this movie was so well done. What a horrible short. The acting was terrible. Another unrealistic agenda by the liberal outlook on life.

      Reply

      • May 28, 2010 by Peg

        You look like a complete idiot. The movie is not fiction. This actually happened. Do a little research. This American Life 1999 Father's day program.



Tell us what you think.

Let the world know what you think, but please do so responsibly. Comments are moderated and we will not post personal attacks, obscene language or inappropriate material, comments with links, or comments from people under the age of 18. If you have a question, check out our Comment Submission Guidelines.

why are we asking for this?

By clicking submit, you agree to our site’s Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.


Related ///

A Working Retirement

After a lifetime of hard work, a writer’s father finds a new calling—as a volunteer firefighter—in his golden years.

Overcoming Inspiration Deficit

A Beliefnet guide to doing your best by getting “unstuck.”

Coverages For Teachers


From vandalism protection for your car parked in the school parking lot to dealing with theft of school materials from your car, Liberty Mutual offers special coverages for teachers – all at no additional cost.

Lighthouse

A grumpy lighthouse keeper tests and redefines his own limits of responsibility.

Lighthouse

Security Matters

Ways to make sure your rental is as secure as possible. And attention, homeowners: there are good tips for you here, too.

Second Line

Directed by Danny Glover, one man’s journey from indifference to understanding we’re all in this together.

Second Line

Clothing Donations Done Right

Slate’s My Goodness column explores the best ways to give.




About Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual is a provider of auto, home, and life insurance for consumers, as well as risk and disability products and services for businesses. Because responsibility is integral to who we are, we also support a range of community service programs around issues like fire safety and responsible sports. Through the Liberty Mutual Foundation, we make grants to organizations that show low-income students a path to lifelong success through education, and agencies that provide immediate basic health and human services to the needy. To learn more about us, visit us at LibertyMutualGroup.com

© 2010 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116