INVICTUS

INVICTUS (Warner Bros)
Directed by Clint Eastwood

One could often wonder how and where ideas for the films we see each year come from; those that are not sequels of course, but even sequels or prequels are reborn in many ways with the new installment. Point is, as long as Hollywood continues to produce films, we will continue to watch them without much thought of where it all came from. But, every now and then one of these so-called ideas' becomes something more and it’s those films that eventually find themselves among the list of nominees each winter during the Oscar push. Really, it’s that simple and yet there are still some that get lost in the mix and eventually find themselves on the outside looking in. Maybe that all will change, though, with the new and improved Best Picture category this year for the Academy Awards, going from five to ten nominees. That certainly should open it up for some of these sleepers I speak of, that in any previous year would not even be on the map, outside a few acting and technical categories. INVICTUS is one of those sleepers; one that won’t scream Best Picture at first, but by films end, just might in a year that hasn’t seen too many great films, at least ones with heart like this.

Based on true events around the 1995 Rugby World Cup, as well as the John Carlin book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation, the story here follows the recent election of Nelson Mandela and how his calculated gamble surrounding rugby would help transform his great country of South Africa. After spending nearly 30 years in prison for activist crimes surrounding race, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released and immediately, he began his journey to become the next president. Four years later, he is elected and begins his focus on releasing the racial tension that had strangled his country for so long, by showing how whites’ can work with blacks,’ doing the same job they each had been trained to do separately. This, of course, was done on a very small scale at first, as Mandela used his own security team as proof, but after attending a Springboks match, his country’s own union rugby team, an inspirational idea popped into Mandela’s head.

If he could somehow get the blacks’ and whites’ behind this one sole rugby team leading up to and during the upcoming 1995 World Cup, to be played in their very own backyard, he might just have a new unified country on his hands. So, despite pushback from his own party, Mandela moved forward and invited Springboks captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) to the capital for tea. Not fully divulging his intent, Mandela explained to Francois how important it would be for his team to play well in the upcoming tournament, which by doing so would help open the eyes of his country that had been closed for so long. Having to read in-between the lines, Francois figures Mandela was essentially asking him to win the World Cup for South Africa. This, of course, was no simple feat, as his team was far from being a top contender and one capable of such a tall order. But, as stories like this go, that didn’t stop them for trying and as the Springboks moved closer and closer toward the final, South Africa started to change inside and out, for this was not just a story about an overachieving rugby team; this was story about a country and how one game could change everything.

It’s no secret when Morgan Freeman signs on for something, he means business and with his role here, he stayed true to form with one of his greatest performances to date. Now, clearly Freeman has done a lot and has been around the block once or twice, but with INVICTUS, he took it to another level playing the famed Nelson Mandela. And he played him to a ‘T,’ as you forgot who you were watching, becoming completely enthralled into Mandela’s world, or should I say Freeman’s? Fact is, Freeman made this movie his own and deserves whatever accolades come his way, as he was about as spot on as it gets.

As for Matt Damon, who knows if he truly pulled it off, as I had no idea who his character was walking into the film. Having said that, with no prior knowledge of his character Francois Pienaar, I thought he did well and really, I didn’t think he would. And Damon deserves some credit for taking on roles like these, where he is kind of out of his comfort zone. It keeps him sharp and truthfully, I can’t say there was a whole lot of bad with his performance overall. Early on, it was a little touch and go, but the more you watched him, the more you got to know his character and before you knew it, forgot all about the fact this Boston kid was speaking in a South African draw. Add in Damon’s natural ability and it was a given he would shine in this role, even though he is much smaller than the real life version of Pienaar.

Clint Eastwood doesn’t owe anything to anybody, but I was surprised he did a film like INVICTUS. I don’t know, when I look at this film, I don’t see it as a “Clint” picture and I’m not sure why. I guess it just doesn’t have that feel and honestly, I forgot he even directed it until the credits starting rolling. Talk about being engulfed into the film, but that’s to Clint’s credit and he really made sure he honored the legacy of Nelson Mandela with this film. Whether that was through the South African landscape or culture, he didn’t miss a beat with some incredible shots and angles, bringing this pseudo-biopic to life. A truly nice piece of work for Eastwood, who seems to have done everything now, as an actor, producer and director, but at the tender age of 79, doesn’t seem to be slowing down and certainly has no quit in him. In fact, he might be getting better the older he gets, which is insane to think considering 80 is staring him right in the face, but its true and as long as he keeps directing, I will keep watching as his films seem to grab you in more ways than one. This one certainly did, and despite any predictable clichés or moments of clarity, I think Eastwood found the right balance, all the while introducing the sport of rugby to many of us that probably didn’t know too much going in.

INVICTUS is one of those feel-good stories that the entire family should watch, as it covers a lot in 134 minutes, both in the forum of life and sport, which in many ways is the same when you break it all down. So, although this film takes its time in parts, it’s all worth it in the end, as this heartfelt story will have you on the edge of your seat long after the credits roll.

B+