Invictus

I kind of feel sorry for Clint Eastwood and the gang this week. Invictus is a traditional, dramatic sports movie about honorable people, and we'd rather see The Tiger Woods Story this week. Honest, reputable competition doesn't stand a chance against multiple affairs, sexy text messages, salacious details and the involvement of porn stars. Maybe Morgan Freeman should play Tiger in the movie?

Set in 1994, Morgan Freeman stars as Nelson Mandela - the long time imprisoned leader of the African National Congress in South Africa, who is elected president in the first multi-racial elections after being released and working with South African elected officials to end Apartheid. The country is divided as blacks seek retribution for decades of inequality and horrific treatment, while whites feel their country is gone forever, and violence could break out.

At a time when South Africa needs investment from abroad, re-entry into world markets after over a decade of boycotts and great leadership to avoid massive bloodshed, Mandela realizes he must unite the two sides to move South Africa forward into the 21st century. To do so, Mandela looks to the great unifier known as sports.

South Africa, a long time rubgy power that was shut out of international competition during the various boycotts, will be hosting the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Mandela reaches out to the South African team, led by captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon, who is younger, thinner and prettier than the real Pienaar, but that's Hollywood for you), and inspires the well known and respected athlete to be part of the rebuilding process in the one way he can.

Will Mandela's plan work?

Will the rugby team win?

Will anyone care if they do?

Director Clint Eastwood is one of the greats, but Invictus is just average. It's a movie that doesn't deserve a great deal of criticism, but it won't earn great praise either because it doesn't have the emotional highs you expect and need from this type of movie.

Sure, Eastwood puts together some very complicated scenes with his legendary skill, simplistically captures the essence of South Africa's divide, shows how people come together for this one tournament (as if this will rollback decades of mistrust, hate and fear), and puts the idea of emotional outpouring during the big climactic moment on full display, but I just want someone to get worked up during this movie!

Freeman is wonderfully majestic and quietly modest as Mandela, and captures the leader's playful and mischievous side in a way that makes you smile, laugh and nod in recognition, but it's hard to say he has one scene, one moment, or one line that captures your heart and soul. Damon also is understated and solid as Pienaar, and finds his moments to make the big speech, attempt to rally the team and stand in awe of Mandela, but, like Freeman, I felt like both characters needed some amazing, gut wrenching, emotional, make-a-hardened-criminal cry kind of scene. I think most of this is because of the script and the part of the story Eastwood wants to tell.

Writer Anthony Peckham (based on the book by John Carlin) dutifully provides the scenes and dialogue, but it feels like a B-student writing the script instead of the A-student. We have plenty of cliché moments like the young black kid welcomed by the white security officers during the big game, or an entire subplot about how the Pienaar's black maid shows them how the majority of South African citizens feel about the actions these white people comment upon during the local news and dinner conversations. Then, she (in a metaphor that Eastwood smacks you over the head with like an anvil) is welcomed into the family.

Most of all, the audience needs more background about Mandela, Apartheid and the struggle of South Africa's black population. I think I did a better job painting the scenario in the first few paragraphs of the review than Peckham and Eastwood did in the movie.

People over 35-years old know South Africa's history, but those under 35-years old never saw Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Little Steven sing "I Ain't Gonna Play Sun City", they don't know why people refused to buy any product coming out of South Africa or the figure Nelson Mandela is even when he was locked away in that prison cell on Robben Island. More context would make Invictus better.

You won't regret seeing Invictus, but it will not become the captain of your soul.

Invictus is rated PG-13 for brief strong language.