Antwone Fisher /
Rated: PG-13 |
Starring: Derek
Luke, Denzel Washington, Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson, Stephen Snedden
|
Directed
by: Denzel Washington |
Produced
by: Randa Haines, Todd Black, Denzel Washington |
Written by:
Antwone Fisher |
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
|
|
A handsome directorial
debut for actor Denzel Washington, Antwone Fisher succeeds in making a
cinematically top-notch, feel-good movie.
Washington’s
success is not only limited to his directing, but he can act in this film as
well. With a slur of first-timers in the line-up, another incredible
performance comes from Derek Luke, who plays Antwone. This is a stylishly
well-shot feature, done with excellent skill, and proves that rookies can do
just as well as veterans. This year, I gave films by Steven Spielberg, Martin
Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson the same rating as Antwone Fisher. I
am not, by any means, saying that
Washington
is as knowledgeable as these master-filmmakers, but I am trying to make a
point. After spending so much time on various sets, lending his acting talents
to several films,
Washington
learned a lot from some very good directors. His first attempt at making his
own flick is nothing short of artful. I wonder what he will have accomplished
in twenty years from now.
Based on a true story,
Antwone Fisher tells the miraculous tale of a boy’s survival through
life. Born in prison, with no one to take care of him, Antwone (Derek Luke)
was placed in an adoptions facility. Most people involved in his case expected
that when his mother was released from jail, she would retain him, and they
would live a normal life together. She never did, though. Young Antwone was
adopted by an incredibly mean lady named Mrs. Tate. Along with three other
adopted boys, Fisher was physically abused by Mrs. Tate, until she abandoned
in him. He was placed back into an adoptions facility, until his eighteenth
birthday, when he was released to a homeless shelter. He only stayed there for
one night, and then took up life on the street. After sleeping on a few park
benches, with only sixty-eight dollars in his pocket, Antwone enrolled in the
Navy. His terrible childhood, full of hate and despair, continued to haunt him
through his military days. He continuously got into fights with other Navy
sailors because of psychological trauma, and was considered for a discharge.
His life was changed by one person, though. The psychiatrist he was sent to by
the Navy, named Jerome Davenport (Denzel Washington).
Antwone Fisher
is full of excellent performances to support the tear-jerking and
life-affirming story, written by the real Antwone Fisher, himself. Denzel
Washington gives an outstanding performance as Dr. Davenport, and proves that
he can act and direct at the same time. Derek Luke provides an incredibly
strong debut, which could be referred to as sheer luck. Luke is also in a film
coming out very soon called Biker Boyz, which is sure to be a bomb with
most critics. But luckily this strong and powerful drama full of perseverance
and courage was released before what’s sure to be just awful. I refuse to go
into Biker Boyz bias, if I do attend it at all, but I just know that it
will be pretty bad.
There are usually only
a few feel-good movies released each year, and in two-thousand-and-two there
were two. During the summer, The Rookie hit theatres, and was a
knockout on all levels. Antwone Fisher mocks this success, and creates
an absolutely astonishing picture, that is full of lively wisdom. Even though
the issues presented in Antwone Fisher aren’t exactly things that we
want to see, we are overjoyed at the triumphant ending. This is one of the few
films that I want to see a second time, only for entertainment purposes. This
is an admirable exercise in filmmaking, and the emotions that come along with
it are wildly watchable.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews
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