It's an interesting film to come out during the month of June. On the surface, it appears to be Oscar bait. But it has its fair share of issues. However, they shouldn't be enough to hinder any enjoyment of the film.
Amidst the impressive set pieces and Confederate South backdrop, Free State of Jones follows Newton Knight, played by Matthew McConaughey, a deserted soldier who starts an uprising against his former Confederate army. He leads a group of escaped slaves and runaway farm workers under the credo that no man shall be owned, and poor men should not be losing their lives so the rich can get richer.
It's a truly powerful film about freedom and an earnest man who believes in equality--even on a subconscious level. Yet, it's interesting to note that everything between Knight and his comrades is all good. There is a minor spat between him and four of his men, but it lasts all of about ten minutes of screen time. Other than that, there isn't much conflict within his rule.
There is, however, much outside hostility. That's the whole point of the movie. The action scenes are both eye-opening and jaw dropping. About as real as any Civil War film can be. And there are several scenes that are so lifelike that even the snootiest critic must acknowledge its integrity.
The script isn't perfect. Some potential nuances are left on the table. Certain inner struggles that Knight faces are sped through, when they would have significantly benefitted the character's development. We don't catch enough inward glimpses. At times, the circumstances seem overcome too easily. And it's not McConaughey's fault. I'm not sure if I can imagine anyone else playing the part.
But the main story is told the right way. It serves its purpose as we come closer to understanding the struggle of the slaves and impoverished farmers. It's not just a fight for freedom, but for equality--which this movie proves may not always be the same thing.
At 139 minutes, it never feels long. By the end, you still feel like there should have been more.
Twizard Rating: 91
Will Smith can carry a movie as well as anyone in Hollywood, and he's been doing it for about the last 20 years. In Concussion he plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian pathologist working in Pittsburgh, who notices something he's never seen before when conducting an autopsy on former NFL player Mike Webster. It turns out that it's a new brain condition that causes its victim to enter a deep depression. He names it chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
Smith does an amazing job as Omalu. He doesn't use his lilt robotically, but commits to every inflection along the way, providing a very natural delivery that makes us believe he is Nigerian.
The filmmakers may not take a lot of risks with Smith's character, pinning him as the interminable hero--which he undeniably is. But I think many people would have wanted to visit his weaknesses a little bit more, other than the first 15 minutes when it is merely stated that he has no human relationships. This gets taken care of fairly quickly with the introduction of Prema, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, a Kenyan nurse who needs a place to live and develops a relationship with Omalu.
Even though Smith's character doesn't face a whole lot of moral dilemma, he is so earnest that he becomes honorable--a personage to cherish in cinema. Smith brings his own personality to the film, and although he's fully committed, you are comforted knowing that it's him donning those grey sideburns.
There are a plethora of self-aware dialogue that may rub people the wrong way, but it's paced very very well so as to not discount the script. With all the science that the story surrounds, it never makes itself confusing or convoluted by over-explaining the details.
Not that I was already fond of the NFL organization, but watching this movie makes me dislike them even more. I know the film tries to be unbiased at times, but the facts are all there pointing the other way.
But Concussion is about more than just football. It's about the misconception of the American dream. The realization that that dream is rooted in monetary gain by any means necessary. And as Omalu discovers it, we do too. An organization that our society is loyally infatuated with isn't all that we romanticize it to be.
Driven by Peter Landesman's honest direction and a score composed by James Newton Howard, which helps drive the intensity of the film, Concussion is one of my favorite films of the year. It isn't perfect, but it's very good. And more than anything, it's powerful--which, in this case, may be the most important factor of all.
Twizard Rating: 94
