Admittedly, I didn't know too much about Mandela before seeing this movie, other than the basics - guy was imprisoned for 27 years, apartheid ended, guy became president, problems solved. 18 years of U.S. public education will unfortunately do that to a person. Ask me about Paul Revere, Abraham Lincoln or FDR and I'm set, but heaven forbid we made it past 1965, let alone past our own borders. I didn't even know about the Berlin Wall until it was halfway down. Remember how every year in public school you started out the year with the American Revolution, taking things at a nice easy pace - then all of a sudden June came and the teachers were like "oh shit, we're only at 1960! Well lots of other stuff happened after that. Enjoy the summer, get out of my sight." But I digress.
Just in time for the Olympics, this movie is not just about a sport you know little to nothing about. Its about the national spirit sports can evoke and, even more interestingly, how it can be used as a political tool. Luckily Mandela's behind the wheel, so his manipulation was for a good cause. It's easy to see how rallying behind the fledgling South African Rugby team during the 1995 World Cup could really help the ailing nation. They weren't even expected to qualify and...well just in case you forgot what happened, I won't spoil it. Let's just say not since those famous Jamaican bobsledders have I rooted so much for a team in a movie. Ya, mon.
How can you not get excited and root for your country during international sporting events. Do you think I particularly care for curling? No, but in the next few weeks I'll be watching shuffleboard on ice with my face painted red, white and blue screaming my ass off. It just happens. Sports have the ability to transcend and hold great meaning for people, even if you're not a big sports nut, and there's something magnetic about that. I think at the crux of it, that's what Invictus reminds us.
It drives me nuts that this movie wasn't nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, particularly since they opened up the category to include some really undeserving films. Maybe there was only room for one sports movie in the category, but it sure as hell should have been this one, not the Blind Side. Sorry Sandy, but it's true.
This movie is all about the Freeman. He was blow-it-away fantastic and even though he probably won't win an Oscar for Best Actor, he's certainly now my favorite in the category. You really forgot you were watching an actor and thought it was Mandela himself making his way into your heart. I've never seen him deliver a finer performance. Damon definitely brought in a strong performance, but was overshadowed in my opinion - will not win the Best Supporting Actor gold.
If I had to guess why this one missed the mark a bit it would be because of some sloppy directing, which was very surprising for Clint Eastwood. Are the Hollywood grandfather's Depends starting to show? Is he losing his golden touch just a bit? The middle of the movie just dragged on at times and it should've been tightened up in the editing process to make it run a bit smoother. It suffered a bit from towing the line between biopic and sports movie, instead of committing to one or the other, but I think some small tweaks could've made a big difference. In the end it's good, but failed to hold enough drama to be great.
Morgan Freeman carries this movie for sure - certainly it could have been a disaster without him. Most importantly because of his portrayal, I want to learn more about Mandela the man and the history, which is the most inspiring thing a movie like this can do. So, feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it's rugby time...DO A MATINEE! I mean Cool Runnings!
1 comment:
This post is by far my most favorite. Laughs, giggles, furrowed brow, smirks, intense concentration, and more! Keep it up TMMC!
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