Phenomenal on all fronts, April 26, 2010
This is a phenomenal piece of work that has joined a handful of DVDs that I watch repetively on background when doing light work in the office–others include De-Lovely: The Cole Porter Story; Beyond the Sea; and Joyeux Noel (Widescreen). Of course my youngest son–the athlete–and I also love the best of the best in football movies, including Remember the Titans (Director's Cut); Rudy (Special Edition); and Invincible, to name a few.
What sets this movie apart, in my view, are the nuanced facial expressions and the deep sincerity that the two main actors bring to the screen. I certainly regard the actor playing the hero of this film, the adopted son, to be in line for best supporting actor, or the other way around. Every time I watch this movie I find something I missed before, and I simply do not tire of that pleasure.
It troubles me that a movie as rich as this, telling a true story that is representative of what can be the best of America in a single individual doing the right thing for the right reasons, seems to bring little minds out of the crevices where they have been hiding. This is not a Christian movie, an anti-Christian movie, a bi-racial movie, or anything else. It is an American Story in the grandest possible manner. In no way does that excuse the continuing segregation and abuse of people of color, the really rotten education system for all, the two-party tyranny, the corruption of the US government at all levels–but in one small very real time and space, one family–one mother–got it right.
