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.

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