Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Premise: The true story of South African president
Nelson Mandela’s (Morgan Freeman) efforts to bring the country together by
rallying around the success of the country’s rugby team.
What Works: Invictus has a pair of
impressive performances by Morgan Freeman as South African president Nelson
Mandela and Matt Damon as rugby team captain Francois Pienaar. Freeman captures
the essence of Mandela’s public persona but also has some quiet moments in
which he is able to play his as a frail and fallible human being. Less showy but
nonetheless impressive is Matt Damon who pulls off a flawless South African
accent and carries the actual arc of the story, embodying the leadership, drive,
and greatness that Mandela foresees. The best sports films like Rocky, Raging
Bull, Friday Night Lights, and Chariots of Fire recognize that
the link between the game and wider society. Invictus does this very
well; as in Flags of our Fathers, Eastwood shows an understanding of the
political power of iconic images and the film demonstrates the power of these
kinds of images to heal and bridge cultural divides. There is also a healthy
sense of humor to Invictus that relieves some of the tension and deflates
the risk of pretentiousness that often haunts films like this one.
What Doesn’t: Although Invictus is well
made, the film does not bring much that is new to the sports genre. The scenes
of rugby are not all that extraordinary and are not edited in a way that conveys
the narrative of the game. Invictus’ dealings with the topic of race is
rather perfunctory as the film suggests that decades of intolerance and
animosity can be healed in a matter of months through a sporting event. Despite
its high profile cast and subject matter, Invictus’ optimistic
commentary is not all that far departed from films like Remember
the Titans or The
Blind Sidewhich use racial reconciliation as a tool to
create feel-good entertainment rather than seriously explore the issue.
Bottom Line: In Clint Eastwood’s recent streak of directorial efforts, Invictus is among his better work. While the film may be conventional and runs a light hand over post-apartheid issues, it is a very well done sports picture.