Worthy film won’t grab ‘Best Picture’ Oscar
By Jennifer Hudson
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Morgan Freeman portrays Nelson Mandela in a scene from “Invictus.” //Keith Bernstein/Warner Bros.
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Director Clint Eastwood’s latest offering is “Invictus,” a moving bio-pic that chronicles Nelson Mandela’s first year as the newly elected president of a deeply divided South Africa.
Based on a book by John Carlin, screenwriter Anthony Peckham weaves together an engaging depiction of Mandela’s attempt to unite a divided country through a universal enthusiasm for sports, in this case, rugby.
Having convinced himself that the insurmountable task of bringing the people of his country together could be achieved only through peace, forgiveness and some unifying force, Mandela (Morgan Freeman) enlists the help of Fran¨ois (Matt Damon), the captain of the South African rugby team, called the Springboks.
With a mediocre won-loss record, the Springboks seem highly unlikely to win soccer’s top prize, the World Cup, but that doesn’t keep Mandela from making the request of Fran¨ois and his less than confident team.
Despite his self-imposed exhaustive schedule, Mandela continues to monitor the progress of the “underdogs” and in the process requires his staff to take his interest seriously. Through the words of a poem titled “Invictus,” (Latin for “unconquerable”), Mandela encourages Fran¨ois to search within himself to find the inspiration necessary to guide his team to victory.
In typical Eastwood style, the film is compelling both visually and emotionally. Damon supplies an energetic performance as the contemplative athlete who breaks away from the political views of his family and instead opens his mind and heart to Mandela’s anti-apartheid philosophy.
Freeman provides an authentic and controlled characterization of the 75-year-old leader who despite 27 years of imprisonment was committed to healing his fractured nation.
With this year’s expansion from five to 10 Oscar nominees in the Best Picture category, expect “Invictus” to fill one of those spots.
It’s a very good film, but competition from “The Hurt Locker” and “Inglorious Basterds” along with the hype of “Avatar” will likely shut out Eastwood and his film during awards season.
“Invictus” 4 out of 5 stars.
Longtime Valley resident Jennifer Hudson reviews films weekly for the Valley News. She can be reached at
moviegoers123@comcast.net.
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