Antwone Fisher
Rental and Snacks
In a very nice directorial debut, Denzel Washington inserts himself as a major supporting character who even smacks of savior, and he does it without a whit of egoism. The real star of the film (based on the book and screenplay by Antwone Fisher) is Derek Luke as Antwone (and Malcolm David Kelly as Antwone aged 7), and Denzel keeps it that way. We are always aware of Mr. Washington, but never distracted by him. Antwone Fisher is a navy man forced to see therapist Dr. Davenport regarding his combative and reckless behavior. It turns out that young Fisher is carrying some heavy burdens on his strong shoulders, too heavy for most people, especially those who refuse help.
Kelly must play a child in overwhelmingly traumatic circumstances who (as children in those situations do) must live it as if there is no other life possible. Luke must tread the line as an actor playing a man who is both a troubled, unlikable youth and solid, healing man. Naturally, this transition only has 113 minutes to spool out, a challenge for any writer, never mind for a writer who lived it himself. The story maintains Antwone's sense of aimlessness and disaffection almost to the very end. Whether this is on purpose of nore, it does lend us some empathy for Seaman Fisher's sense of being lost. More than once, however, I found it difficult to tell if the movie had a thematic path or if it was a slice of life biopic - I frequently wondered where this episode was going.
Critics have lauded this film as a redemptive tale which gives proper credit to the US military for giving all disenfranchised Americans a solid structure on which to rebuild their lives. It felt to me that Fisher's progress was not caused by the Navy's regimental and red-tape-choked care, but by the rule-bending therapeutic attention of Dr. Davenport (Washington). Dr Davenport is a composite character, but by the end of the film you can decide what gave Fisher the strength to carry on. For me, it was more a paean to the importance of psychotherapy and self-examination, and finding one's truth and integrity within. The film allows you to decide.
Either way, Seaman Fisher has a powerful story to tell about the failure of the System to protect children and the subtly devastating consequences of instability and neglect - not just on the person, but rippling through their lives and to other people. As a child he was strong because he was physically so weak, and had to be to survive. As a strong Navy man, his inner strength begins to break out. It's a very personal drama with very pleasing performances by Luke, Washington, and Kelly, worth seeing and feeling.
-- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These reviews (c) 2002 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but just credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks. reviews@cinerina.com Check out previous reviews at: http://www.cinerina.com http://ofcs.rottentomatoes.com - the Online Film Critics Society http://www.hsbr.net/reviews/karina/listing.hsbr - Hollywood Stock Exchange Brokerage Resource http://www.mediamotions.com for 1999 releases
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