Bobby
Writer, director and star Emilio Estevez assembles an intimidating cast of well-known actors to bring to life the day that Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Taking place at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, the film follows about two dozen various employees and guests as they prepare for the Presidential candidate’s victory address, scheduled for later that evening. Each cast member represents an aspect of American life that somehow defined the 1960s, and every bit of dialogue contains a message or warning that comments directly on what our world is experiencing today. The success of such a high-minded script rests entirely on the performances of the actors. Some of them—such as Freddy Rodriguez, Laurence Fishburne and Sharon Stone—are superb. Others—like Helen Hunt, Demi Moore and Elijah Wood—fall incredibly short. Estevez deserves credit for being able to juggle so many characters with such ease, and his skills as a director are certainly evident. The film is infused with a looming sense of tragedy that increases as the day passes on, and when the moment of the assassination finally arrives, it is executed with such raw, cinematic precision that viewers will feel as though they were actually present when it happened. Bobby is not a perfect film, but it packs quite an emotional wallop. One cannot help but wonder how different the world would be today had Sirhan Sirhan not walked into that hotel kitchen.
Directed by Emilio Estevez.
Written by Emilio Estevez.
Starring Freddy Rodriguez, William H. Macy, Anthony Hopkins, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Hunt, Martin Sheen, Shia LaBeouf, Elijah Wood and Christian Slater.
Rated R for language, drug content and a scene of violence. 120 min.
***½ so says The Fish
Déjà Vu
Movies that deal with the phenomenon of time travel always require a suspension of disbelief. As the latest thriller from director Tony Scott (who has finally done away with the choppy editing style that plagued his previous films Man on Fire and Domino), Déjà Vu tries its best to explain the physics behind its more fantastic plot points. It involves the coordination of satellites; billions of dollars in government funded electronic power; a ragtag team of computer geeks; and some seriously detailed navigation capabilities that put Google Earth to shame. You could drive yourself crazy thinking about how all of it is possible, so it’s probably best to leave all manner of logic at the door and just enjoy the ride. The premise involves a terrorist bombing of a New Orleans ferryboat, and it’s up to ATF agent Denzel Washington to locate the perpetrator in the past, follow his actions leading up to the blast, and obtain enough evidence to nail him in the present. Things become complicated when a woman, whose body was recovered from the wreckage, is found to have been killed before the incident ever occurred. The film starts out as an intriguing detective mystery before gradually becoming a full-fledged time travel adventure, and it is riveting every step of the way. Of course there are a couple of problems—as the villain, Jim Caviezel is given too little attention, and as the romantic interest, Paula Patton’s character is developed far too late in the game—but for the most part, Déjà Vu works. A wonderfully intricate script, some beautiful camerawork, and a spot on performance by Washington make this one of the best time travel thrillers in years.
Directed by Tony Scott.
Written by Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio.
Starring Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel, Paula Patton, Adam Goldberg, Elden Henson, Matt Craven and Bruce Greenwood.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images and some sensuality. 128 min.
**** so says The Fish
The Fountain
The first point that must be made about Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain is that it is not for everyone. Like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, it is a film that makes for a great roundtable discussion and will continue to baffle audiences for generations to come. The director’s original pitch must have seemed impossibly grand: An epic love story set against three different time periods, each involving a man (all of whom are played by Hugh Jackman) obsessively in search of a cure for death. In 16th century Guatemala, conquistador Tomás leads a doomed expedition in the hopes of discovering the Fountain of Youth. In 21st century New York, scientist Tommy races to find a remedy for his wife Izzy’s fatal condition and in doing so stumbles upon a phenomenon of reverse aging. And lastly, in 26th century outer space, astronaut Tom pilots his spherical vessel toward a dying star for reasons that remain unknown throughout most of the picture. Despite the complicated narrative and stunning visual scheme, The Fountain remains much smaller and more intimate than one would imagine. Aronofsky’s focus is on the love between two people, filming both his stars in constantly tight close-ups. Jackman, who recently gave a career topping performance in The Prestige, transcends to a whole new level of acting, giving us one of the most moving performances of the year. Rachel Weisz is also excellent in the dual role of Izzy and Queen Isabel, who sends Tomás on his journey. Are all three of Jackman’s characters one and the same? Is Tomás really a fictional character conjured up by Izzy in the novel she is writing? Is Tom the future version of Tommy, having seemingly conquered death? The film raises a million questions and refuses to answer any of them directly. Such an approach leaves the truth to the interpretation of each individual viewer. For some, it might not resonate. For others, it might have a profound and powerful effect.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Written by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel.
Starring Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Cliff Curtis, Ethan Suplee, Donna Murphy, Sean Patrick Thomas and Mark Margolis.
Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of violent action, some sensuality and language. 96 min.
***** so says The Fish
Happy Feet
An animated penguin movie had to come out sooner or later, and what better time than on the heels of the Oscar winning documentary March of the Penguins. One can just picture a studio executive watching that film and saying “This gives me an idea.” Happy Feet is a wonderfully realized and charming feature about Antarctic life, and it will undoubtedly be a success for the simple reason that it is impossible to look at a baby penguin without going “Aaawwwwww….” The story revolves around an awkward young penguin named Mumble (Elijah Wood), whose parents (Nicole Kidman and the very busy Hugh Jackman) try everything they can to teach him how to sing. As the film shows, the world of emperor penguins is dominated by singing, and those who can’t—like Mumble—just don’t fit in. He does prove himself to be a terrific tap dancer, but as his father tells him “That just ain’t penguin.” Inevitably, Mumble becomes an outcast and ends up going on an incredible and touching journey that only an animated feature can provide. The final act comes way out of left field and will be fascinating for adults, albeit somewhat disturbing for kids. The film is directed by George Miller—who seems to get increasingly sentimental as he gets older, having started his career on Mad Max, moved on to Lorenzo’s Oil and then most recently helmed Babe: Pig in the City—and it features some truly groundbreaking animation. Happy Feet is a delightful film that will appeal to all audiences.
Directed by George Miller.
Written by Warren Coleman, John Collee, Judy Morris and George Miller.
Starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Hugo Weaving.
Rated PG for some mild peril and rude humor. 98 min.
****½ so says The Fish
Casino Royale
Bond is finally back after a four-year hiatus and he’s gone through a lot of changes. In an effort to shy away from the gadgets and special effects that burdened the previous films (when Bond was played by Pierce Brosnan), producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have gone back to the original novel by Ian Fleming and recast Bond with the tough-as-nails Daniel Craig. The result is the best film in the series since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service almost 40 years ago. Although the film has its fair share of action sequences, the main plot focuses on a card game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro where Bond must pit his skills against a terrorist financier name Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen). He’s aided by the beautiful Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), a representative of Her Majesty’s Treasury and the first Bond Girl to actually bring some complexity to the table. A hint of realism, grossly missing from many of the previous entries in the series, is ever present in Casino Royale. Le Chiffre is not a villain bent on world domination, but simply a man who cannot afford to lose his money. Similarly, Bond is no longer a suave superman but an actual human being with vulnerabilities. When he gets into a fight, it feels as though things are actually at stake. Whereas Brosnan was essentially a more intense version of Roger Moore, Craig is closer to the intense version of Timothy Dalton and gives us the best portrayal of James Bond since Sean Connery. The franchise is back on track with a vengeance, and Craig proves that he’s the right man for the job.
Directed by Martin Campbell.
Written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis.
Starring Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino, Tobias Menzies and Judi Dench.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, a scene of torture, sexual content and nudity. 144 min.
****½ so says The Fish
Copying Beethoven
Ludwig von Beethoven has always been one of history’s more interesting and complicated characters. A musical genius, he was known to be an unapproachable sort of man, possessed by a rude disposition and an uncontrollable temper. After becoming deaf, he grew very bitter and lost favor with the public, only to make a triumphant comeback with his 9th Symphony, arguably considered the greatest piece of music ever written. It’s a fantastic story that absolutely screams to be made into a brilliant film (one along the lines of the Mozart biopic Amadeus), but has still yet to be achieved. Copying Beethoven is not a masterpiece, but it is certainly a well-made picture that acts as window into the brief time both before and after the composer performed his final opus. Told through the eyes of his copyist Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger of Troy), this is the story of how Beethoven prepared in vein for his final performance, despite being discouraged by all those around him. Anna, a amateur composer herself, learns from Beethoven that music is more than just the mathematical structure of notes. It is a living organism with a soul of its own. Harris is excellent in the title role and acts with equal measures of whimsy and intensity. It’s different from Gary Oldman’s haunting portrayal a decade ago in Immortal Beloved, but no less remarkable. The centerpiece of the film is the opening performance of the 9th Symphony and this sequence alone is worth the admission price. Unfortunately, after this peak moment, things slope somewhat downhill and general audiences might lose interest. However, fans of Beethoven’s music will find much to enjoy.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.
Written by Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson.
Starring Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode, Ralph Riach and Nicholas Jones.
Rated PG-13 for some sexual elements. 104 min.
***½ so says The Fish
Harsh Times
Screenwriter David Ayer (Training Day) steps behind the camera for this violent character study about two friends in South Central Los Angeles who spend their hours committing petty crimes and smoking weed while looking for some form of employment. Jim (Christian Bale) is an ex-Army Ranger with a ferociously unpredictable temper and it's up to his friend Mike (Freddy Rodriguez) to do everything he can to suppress it. It’s ironic that Jim is trying to get a job as an LAPD officer, as he is the last person in the world that is suited for such a position. He is told this by Mike’s girlfriend Sylvia (Eva Longoria) who believes Jim is going down in flames and is taking Mike with him. Mike knows that Jim is a bad influence on others, but he tolerates him for the sake of their friendship. Jim is a trigger-happy sociopath who is not only desensitized to violence, but is also lacking any logical sense. Mike, on the other hand, has some sense, but chooses to ignore it. They are both interesting characters and are played well by the two lead actors. Rodriguez quickly gains the sympathy of the viewer, and Bale has never been scarier. Even his turn as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho was played somewhat for laughs, but here he is absolutely terrifying. The problem lies in the script, which Ayer admits was sitting in a drawer for several years. It showcases a series of ridiculous decisions made by the principle characters and eventually becomes implausibly out of control. By the end of the film, it’s hard not to say, “Well, I knew that was gonna happen.”
Directed by David Ayer.
Written by David Ayer.
Starring Christian Bale, Freddy Rodriguez, Eva Longoria, Tammy Trull, Chaka Foreman and J.K. Simmons.
Rated R for strong violence, language and drug use. 120 min.
** so says The Fish
A Good Year
Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe have become so accomplished in their jobs that it’s hard to think of them ever coming up short on a collaboration. The pair first worked together on Gladiator (which went on to win five Oscars including Best Picture) and will next team up for the highly anticipated drug war film American Gangster. Let’s hope that they fair better with that film than they do with this one. In A Good Year, Crowe plays Max Skinner, a Gordon Gekko-esque investment broker who inherits a vineyard in Province from his recently deceased uncle (Albert Finney). Trying hard not to stray too far from his work desk—he checks in with his assistant every ten seconds—Max travels to Province to gauge the condition of his uncle’s house and determine a worthy selling price. Of course, he ends up remembering the beauty of the home in which he was raised, falls in love with a local girl, and gradually matures in the process, etc., etc. It isn’t that the film is bad in any way; on the contrary, Scott provides a wonderful visual flair and Crowe is quite good in a more lighthearted role (although he is better at playing the money hungry jerk than he is the man who becomes emotionally reborn). The material, however, is more suited for a director like Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give) and a star like Kevin Kline. Scott, one of our greatest directors, and Crowe, a brilliant actor, should be producing something a little more challenging and a little less forgettable.
Directed by Ridley Scott.
Written by Marc Klein.
Starring Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hollander, Didier Bourdon, Abbie Cornish, Albert Finney and Freddie Highmore.
Rated PG-13 for language and some sexual content. 118 min.
**½ so says The Fish
Stranger Than Fiction
What would you do if you woke up one day and discovered that you were merely a fictional character in a book? That is what happens to Harold Crick in the clever comedy Stranger Than Fiction, the latest effort from versatile director Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland). Crick (played by a remarkably restrained Will Ferrell) begins to hear a voice-over narration of his life as he is living it. Is he the victim of a sick joke? Is he going crazy? Or is he literally the figment of someone’s imagination? That imagination belongs to author Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) who is writing the story of Harold Crick (unbeknownst to Harold himself). However, she is currently amidst a bad case of writer’s block and can’t for the life of her figure out how to kill the poor fellow. Harold, meanwhile, decides to take steps to determine whether he is in a comedy or a tragedy. It’s a killer premise, as conceived by screenwriter Zach Helm, and the dialogue is deliciously witty. Sadly, the film loses much of its steam in the final half-hour and is demoted from being a comic masterpiece to simply a quirky and innovative little picture. The performances all around are top-notch, but Dustin Hoffman stands out as the literature professor who attempts to aid Harold with his unusual problem. In the maelstrom of remakes, sequels and plot-challenged rubbish currently being released, it’s refreshing to see a movie with a wonderfully original concept.
Directed by Marc Forster.
Written by Zach Helm.
Starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah and Emma Thompson.
Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity. 113 min.
***½ so says The Fish
Babel
Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu is one of the most interesting directors working today. He employs a gritty, realistic approach to his films, usually with the use of hand-held cameras, so that nothing ever feels staged and the actors never look as though they’re “acting.” Both of his previous films—Amores Perros and 21 Grams, also penned by Babel screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga—followed multiple storylines and were told in a non-linear fashion. Babel is no different, but it is perhaps the most audience accessible film Iñárritu has made to date. Unlike 21 Grams—which was confusing enough to require a second viewing—Babel tells a fairly straightforward story and it does so on a global canvas. The action begins in Morocco when two local boys come into possession of a rifle. They’re supposed to be guarding their goats, but inevitably pick out various spots in the vicinity for target practice. An American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) traveling on a tour bus begin the worst day of their lives when the wife is accidentally struck by one of the stray bullets. Meanwhile, two children in San Diego are left in the charge of their Mexican housekeeper (Adriana Barraza) who takes them with her across the border so that she can keep an eye on them while attending her son’s wedding. And in Japan, a hearing impaired girl (Rinko Kikuchi) tries to cope with the recent loss of her mother, while also confronting her own social awkwardness. Needless to say, all of these stories eventually come together in glorious Iñárritu fashion, and they deliver a much-needed message about how a few simple misinterpretations can have catastrophic results. Acting-wise, the film is flawless. Pitt gives one of his best performances in years and Barraza deserves an Oscar nomination. So far, Iñárritu has yet to disappoint.
Directed by Alejandro Gonzáles Iñárritu.
Written by Guillermo Arriaga.
Starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal, Adriana Barraza, Rinko Kikuchi, Kôji Yakusho, Clifton Collins, Jr. and Michael Pena.
Rated R for violence, some graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use. 142 min.
**** so says The Fish
Flushed Away
DreamWorks Animation (who gave us the Shrek films) and Aardman Animations (the creators Wallace & Gromit) are perhaps two of the most successful giants pioneering the animation field today—superseded only by Disney PIXAR. Flushed Away marks their first collaboration and hopefully it won’t be their last. The story revolves around a rat named Roddy (voiced by Hugh Jackman), who lives the upscale life of being a pet to a wealthy London family. With no one else to talk to, he amuses himself by watching TV and making imaginary friends out of the various toys scattered about the house. A series of circumstances leads Roddy to being flushed down the toilet and sent through the watery pipes of London underground sewer where he finds, to his amazement, a bustling metropolis of rats, frogs and slugs living beneath the city streets. As an outsider, Roddy finds things a bit too chaotic for his taste; however, before he can find his way home he stumbles upon a rat named Rita (Kate Winslet). The two unwittingly become ensnared in a nefarious plot by a villainous toad (Ian McKellan) set upon destroying the rat city. The film is inventive enough, and certainly has its charms, but it is not quite as witty as either Shrek or Wallace & Gromit. Whereas those films appealed in many ways to adults as much as they did to children, Flushed Away seems to be geared more for the kids. It has a strong message about the importance of family, which parents will appreciate, and the combined efforts of DreamWorks and Aardmen produce a style of animation that is truly gorgeous to behold.
Directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell.
Written by Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Christopher Lord, Joe Keenan and Will Davies.
Starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellan, Jean Reno, Bill Nighy and Andy Serkis.
Rated PG for crude humor and some language. 90 min.
***½ so says The Fish
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Sacha Baron Cohen deserves a place alongside Peter Sellers, Andy Kaufman and Mike Myers as one of the few comedians who is able to fully inhabit a variety of different characters. Cohen has actually gone to greater lengths to maintain the “realness” of his various personas by appearing on talk shows and news programs in full character. Whether he is playing Ali G, Borat or Bruno the fashion critic—all of whom evolved from his TV series Da Ali G Show—Cohen is a master at immersing himself into the role. Borat Sagdiyev, a smiling, ignorant journalist from Kazakhstan, is the character of choice for Cohen’s latest film, the title of which is too long to repeat. Shot as though it were a documentary, Borat travels to the “US and A” in order to learn how conditions in his own country can be improved. A vague form of a plot takes effect when Borat catches an episode on Baywatch on TV and makes it his mission to travel to California so that he can marry Pamela Anderson. This is really just an excuse for the film to have a cross-country road trip where Borat can unleash his inappropriate behavior upon the unsuspecting American population. The genius of Cohen’s comedy is how he is able to make fun of everyone he meets and get away with it. His “victims,” believing him to be a foreigner, grant him so much leeway to be insulting and Cohen can push things as far as he wants as long as he adheres to his attitude of complete ignorance. In this manner, his is able to play upon the utter naiveté of Americans. Those familiar with Da Ali G Show will find the film to be a little more extreme with its politically incorrect humor, but not by much (appearing on HBO, Cohen’s series already pushed the envelope in this regard). Many are already ranking it as one of the funniest movies ever made. This is a little too generous of a label, but it’s definitely among the funniest of the year.
Directed by Larry Charles.
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips.
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian and Pamela Anderson.
Rated R for pervasive strong crude and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language. 84 min.
**** so says The Fish
Running with Scissors
Based on the personal memoirs of Augusten Burroughs, Running with Scissors is a tediously irksome, unfunny hodgepodge of a film. Directed by Ryan Murphy (TV’s Nip/Tuck), it features an all-star cast, headed by Joseph Cross as Burroughs and Annette Bening as his wacky mother Deirdre, whose talents are wasted and mired by the outlandish situations that are presented one after the other. Young Augusten, who spent much of his childhood watching his mother reside amidst her many dreams of grandeur, is now forced to cope with the divorce of his parents. His mother’s therapist, Dr. Finch (Brian Cox), takes him in to live with his own bizarre family, all of whom are no less off the deep end than Deirdre. This is the main problem with the film. Every character seems to be a lamb-chop shy of a mixed grill, devoid of any semblance of normalcy. Augusten’s father (Alec Baldwin) is perhaps the most refreshing person in the movie for the simple fact that he has the least amount of marbles rolling around in his head. Other films that feature a cast of quirky characters—such as The Royal Tenenbaums—work because the dialogue is usually funny and the people are, at times, endearing. Unfortunately, Running with Scissors possesses neither of these traits. The viewer is left with a rather dull storyline that attempts to be humorous, but is instead overwhelmed by the eccentricities of its characters.
Directed by Ryan Murphy.
Written by Ryan Murphy.
Starring Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Evan Rachel Wood, Jill Clayburgh, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Rated R for strong language and elements of sexuality, violence and substance abuse. 116 min.
*½ so says The Fish
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
One of the smash hits at the Sundance Film Festival—winning both the Special Jury Prize and the Best Director Award—A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints chronicles the adolescent years of Dito Montiel. Based on his autobiography, and directed by Montiel himself, the film is a personal and uncompromising portrait of street life in Astoria, New York during the 1980s. Dito (Shia LaBeouf) wants desperately to leave his neighborhood and move out to California, and this desire increases as more and more of his friends get either locked up or killed. He argues with his girlfriend on numerous occasions and eventually becomes estranged from his own father (Chazz Palminteri). Woven throughout these unpleasant years are scenes of the present day Dito (Robert Downey, Jr.) as he travels back home from California to confront his past. As a first-time director, Montiel shows a little promise and a lot of inexperience. He’s able to get a few good performances out of his actors (particularly Channing Tatum, who plays Dito’s hot-tempered friend Antonio), but most of his stylistic choices are unnecessary and actual lessen the quality of the film. The script is also lacking in many respects, and while much of the film was likely improvised, it still comes down to most of the characters yelling at each other, in almost every scene, for no real reason. As a result, there are several times when the film actually approaches levels of annoyance. It wouldn’t seem nearly as bad if the actors had anything remotely interesting to say during the quieter moments, but they don’t.
Directed by Dito Montiel.
Written by Dito Montiel.
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Robert Downey, Jr., Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Dianne Wiest, Channing Tatum and Eric Roberts.
Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, sexuality, and drug use. 98 min.
** so says The Fish
Catch a Fire
Phillip Noyce’s Catch a Fire has been reproached for the single, ridiculous reason that it deals with South African apartheid. Audiences and film critics have developed a “been there, done that” attitude about the film, claiming its themes have no relevance to the world we live in today. Firstly, this reasoning is completely off the mark—the movie does parallel current events—and secondly, when did a film suddenly lose credibility because its subject matter was found untimely? That said, the film is rife with problems; however, viewers should learn how to direct their criticism more intelligently. The setting is 1980 South Africa, and Patrick Chamusso (Derek Luke) is wrongfully accused and arrested for acts of terrorism. When policeman Nic Vos (Tim Robbins) can’t get the answers he wants out of Chamusso, he arrests the captive’s wife, and the two are held for months under harsh conditions before their eventual release. This is where the story really begins. Chamusso, so enraged by what has happened, joins the fight against the regime and against those who persecuted both himself and his family. Essentially, he becomes the man he was initially accused of being. It’s a wonderfully dramatic concept, made more powerful by the fact that it’s a true story. But for some reason, the filmmakers have chosen to focus on Chamusso’s hatred toward Vos himself, rather than toward the political system. It doesn’t help that Vos is a poorly written, one-note character that exists only to fuel Chamusso’s rage (although Robbins does a great job of glowering throughout the entire picture). The movie is helped by the assured direction of Noyce (The Quiet American, Patriot Games) and a fantastic performance by Luke. But it’s a shame the script didn’t go through a few more rewriting stages.
Directed by Phillip Noyce.
Written by Shawn Slovo.
Starring Derek Luke, Tim Robbins, Bonnie Henna, Mncedisi Shabangu and Sithembiso Khumalo.
Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving torture and abuse, violence and brief language. 101 min.
**½ so says The Fish
