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"THE GREAT DEBATERS" (PG-13)
Denzel Washington
directs and stars in The Great Debaters
By Clayton Davis
In his sophomore effort, actor-director
Denzel Washington has created one of the best films of the year,
The Great Debaters. Never trying to be the cliché coming of age tale
of student-teacher relationship that becomes like a bad aftertaste like
past efforts, as Mona Lisa Smile; the film takes a high road to
transform its narrative into a beautiful canvas for Washington to
paint on like forgotten masterpieces like Stand and Deliver and
Dead Poet’s Society. Adapted from a Tony Scherman article
by Robert Eisele and Jeffrey Porro, the film follows an
astonishing pace and never forcing anything down the audience’s throat
rather, uses images and manifestations for its armor.
Washington’s achievement here is pulling the performances of this
new, unknown young actors. Denzel Whitaker as the innocent,
curious James Jr. is wonderful in exposition of character and gives the
best child performance of the year. At 17, young Whitaker should
have no problem coming into his own as a great young leading man in the
future. Nate Parker in a momentous breakthrough performance
indulges the audience as Henry, the angry young college student dealing
with the inequalities of African-Americans in the South. In the end it’s
the tenacious performance by the beautiful Jurnee Smollett that
holds the emotional premise of the film together. Not only dealing the
racial barrier, but the barrier of being a woman, a woman running away
from her past and trying to settle into a world dominated by the
differences of her own. Smollett’s debate speeches are felt with
every word, every expression, and every influential command. Smollett’s
performance is the ignored performance worthy of consideration for
awards of 2007.
Not expecting too much from last year’s Oscar winner, Forest Whitaker
reminds the viewer of how great he was for years before The Last King
of Scotland. This is a true superior work on the actor’s resume. So
how Denzel Washington do in directing himself? Not glossing as
much as Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner past works,
Washington does an admirable effort and takes the supporting role (yes
it’s supporting) and acts as the film’s right hand man. Adding his
charisma, potency, and veteran thespian persona, the film is a success.
****/**** |
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