Defined by performance and drama 8/10

Just saw this film. August Wilson is one of the most powerful playwrights to ever write for the stage. I love how well he was able to translate his words into film. What came out of it was: powerful performances and amazing drama.

Now, these performances weren't just the leads, but everyone. Every single actor and actress shined in this (which was something I did not expect) With a debate as to why Viola Davis' is seen a supporting character, I myself thought she was until the midpoint. Powerful from beginning to end, she showed range in her talent. Denzel was amazing (and personally, I thought he was the best performance), but overall, that was what makes most of this movie...the rest is the drama.

The drama displayed from the script works its way slowly (like a play), which actually worked for this kind of movie. The characters were beautifully setup and in thirty minutes, I ended up caring about the characters. The script deals with the drama so fluidly and realistically that you find yourself experiencing the characters as flawed people which is exactly what the film is going for.


The only thing I felt I had to point out was the cinematography. While it works out sometimes, othertimes I felt cheated out of a good line because the character had his/her back to the camera. On stage, if you can't see the actor, you can't see the performance. With the camera, I thought they'd try something differently.


Aside from that, I strongly suggest watching this film :)

Life is a movie. Write your own ending. Keep believing. Keep pretending.
-Kermit