|
|
|
|
Derek
Luke, Denzel Washington, Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson,
Stephen Snedden |
Directed
by: Denzel Washington
Written by: Antwone Fisher
Produced by: Randa Haines, Todd Black, Denzel Washington
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures |
US:
19/12/02 UK: 16/05/03 |
Antwone
"Fish" Fisher was a Sony Pictures security
guard who gained fame as a writer-producer. However,
he began as an angry sailor, on the verge of being kicked
out of the Navy for repeated fighting. With the help
of a Navy psychiatrist, he turns his life around and
decides to embark on a search to find the family that
abandoned him as a baby. In the course of that search,
his life changes dramatically. |
|
The
trailer looks superb for Denzel Washington's first time
out as a Director. |
|
|
"This
is my best side, right?"
|
|
  |
For his directorial debut, Washington tackles this impressive
autobiographical script about an angry young man facing up to his
childhood demons and the huge chip on his shoulder. As a sailor, Antwone
(Luke) is always in trouble for fighting with his shipmates, so he's
ordered to spend time with the base's psychiatrist, Davenport
(Washington). But it takes him a long time to calm down even enough to
speak, let along trace his bitter, orphaned upbringing, which is
punctuated with both physical and sexual abuse ... at the hands of
women. Meanwhile, he is trying to move ahead in life, getting to know a
beautiful young Naval officer (Bryant) and charming Davenport's
frustrated wife (Richardson).
Washington wisely avoids manipulating the film's more sensationalistic
elements and concentrates on the human story at the centre. This makes
the film feel both classy and intensely involving, even as it milks the
emotion rather shamelessly. Luke delivers a powerful performance that
grabs us right at the start and carries us through; he never hits a
false note, making this young man both believable and engaging. And
Washington keeps a quiet distance, never upstaging him while creating a
memorable character all his own. There are very heavy echoes of Good
Will Hunting in the shrink-thaws-patient structure, especially in
editing that makes each session look like it lasts about three minutes,
never really touching on the anger management issues that started
everything to begin with. And the film does get slightly preachy when
it touches on important themes like African-American history, racism
and abuse. But you can hardly blame it, when the material is this
strong, important and true! This is an artfully made film that actually
has the emotional power to get to us. Bring Kleenex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
