Invictus: Movie Review

Clint Eastwood's latest film Invictus left me with mixed feelings. Having lived in South Africa for several years, I was able to resonate with many aspects of the film. However, as a movie-goer I've also been exposed to storylines with far more action, climatic moments and intense, raw storylines.

The acting was fabulous. As usual, Freeman gives us a stand-out performance as South Africa's former President Mandela. There were moments I had to remind myself that it wasn't Mandela, himself. The voice, accent and mannerisms were reminiscent of the former leader. Matt Damon also played the rugby captain with conviction. I did find it endearing to hear the two of them speak a bit of Afrikaans. I know from experience how hard it is to pronounce with an American accent.

As for the storyline, I wouldn't argue that it was anything unique or exceptionally well written, but then again it was based on true events that needed to be told. The movie did lack highs and lows. Nothing overtly "bad" happened, and even the climax wasn't something to sit on the edge of your seat waiting for. What I did like about the story line was that it wasn't just another generic plotline or "racist white Afrikaner has experience with a black person and sees the light and begs for forgiveness." The action was driven by people learning to accept one another, it came from both sides of the coin. The movie didn't even try to tackle how complicated race-relations are in South Africa.

I think many Americans, or outsiders, do think that the problems in South Africa are black and white, no pun intended. The shades of gray run so deep that a 2 hour movie could never even begin to grapple with those issues in a fair and honest way. The bottom line is that it is a story about how one leader used rugby to unite a nation, and therefore shying away from the complexity of the race-relations helped get the audience through the story without a mental overload.

As for capturing South Africa's spirit, I think the movie was in this aspect, it's most successful. Everything from the scenery to the vodacom logo, to the Beeld newspapers, the bottle shop, the kombi, the street signs, the electrical outlet and the song sung at the opening of the movie took me right back to South Africa. Though I can never see the movie through the eyes of a South African, I can see it through the eyes of someone who spent several years in South Africa and what sucked me into the movie was how much of a local feel they could capture.

There were even subtle parts that would have seemed strange had I not lived there. In one scene Matt Damon's character is having tea with Morgan Freeman's Mandela and a white woman enters the room to bring the tea. Immediately, Matt Damon greets the woman in Afrikaans, as they are both Afrikaans and would realistically not have that exchange in English. I was always amused by this, since in the United States there is a general assumption to speak English. But in South Africa, I can remember one time chatting with my friend in English. When my host "father" came home, I introduced them in English, and they immediately greeted one another in Afrikaans. I also enjoyed being one of the only people in the theatre able to understand the Afrikaans in the film. Hearing Shosholoza being sung also brought me right back to South Africa.

I also loved the scenes from immediately after the Springboks won the world cup. I was in Kimberly, South Africa, sitting in a pub watching when South Africa won the rugby world cup in 2007. The feeling of unity that came with it was indescribable. We danced in the streets all night, drank with strangers and allowed the victory to symbolize more than sport. Silly as it seems, sports can unite and divide.

Over all, I enjoyed the film, but more for its local flare than dramatic premise. It is what it is: a feel good movie about rugby with a backdrop of politics. It's not making any type of original political statement, it's not going to have you coming out questioning South African race relations, and I doubt any deep dialogue will follow it. It will, however, uplift your sprits if you've never experienced South Africa. And if you have experienced South Africa, it will make you smile, and think that there is hope, though it's often hard to fathom.