Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington star in Richard Attenborough's disappointing Cry freedom. Attenborough is usually good when it comes to biographies. I mean this is the genius behind Gandhi and Chaplain. But there is something wrong with Cry freedom: It's a little too shallow.I know they're just trying to tell a story, but the story isn't told very well.
The film takes place around the time of apartheid,which everyone should know about. Denzel Washington plays Steve Biko,a man who is standing up for apartheid. Within an hour of the film, he is taken to jail and is murdered. But nobody knows that he was murdered. They are told it's a disease. But somebody knows.
That somebody is a journalist named Donald Woods(played terrifically by Kevin Kline). He knows what actually happens,and he wants the world to know. But that doesn't go down well. People try to terrorize him and his family.
The acting is good. Especially from Kevin Kline. and I realize that Attenborough is just trying to tell a story. But the way it's told is kind of hollow. Also, I found the film a bit annoying. For one main reason: Towards the end, you just predict that something bad is going to happen. And something tragic happens about every five minutes.
I was disappointed. Another flaw: I realize that Gandhi was 3 hours long,but I still loved that movie. Cry freedom isn't three hours,and it's not as good. It actually felt too long. Overall, i'm giving it a thumbs down.
Cry freedom: C+
The film takes place around the time of apartheid,which everyone should know about. Denzel Washington plays Steve Biko,a man who is standing up for apartheid. Within an hour of the film, he is taken to jail and is murdered. But nobody knows that he was murdered. They are told it's a disease. But somebody knows.
That somebody is a journalist named Donald Woods(played terrifically by Kevin Kline). He knows what actually happens,and he wants the world to know. But that doesn't go down well. People try to terrorize him and his family.
The acting is good. Especially from Kevin Kline. and I realize that Attenborough is just trying to tell a story. But the way it's told is kind of hollow. Also, I found the film a bit annoying. For one main reason: Towards the end, you just predict that something bad is going to happen. And something tragic happens about every five minutes.
I was disappointed. Another flaw: I realize that Gandhi was 3 hours long,but I still loved that movie. Cry freedom isn't three hours,and it's not as good. It actually felt too long. Overall, i'm giving it a thumbs down.
Cry freedom: C+