'Beloved' (1998)
A movie review by Walter Frith
Member of the 'Internet Movie Critics Association' http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/5713/index.html
and
Member of the 'Online Film Critics Society' http://ofcs.org/ofcs/
Director Jonathan Demme's vision of slavery and the memories contained in its after life in 'Beloved', based on Toni Morrison's novel are haunting to say the least. Demme is a brilliant director. I'm hard pressed to find a more chilling example of intense psychological drama when I think about the confrontation between Hannibal Lecter and Dr. Chilton in 1991's 'The Silence of the Lambs' when Lecter focuses on the doctor's pen as a tool in part to release himself from handcuffs later in the film. The way the camera followed Lecter's expression cutting back and fourth from his face to the pen was so simple that it was hard to believe. Demme uses some of his psychological tricks in a similar and unsettling way in his latest film.
In 'Beloved', Oprah Winfrey portrays Sethe, a former slave from a Kentucky plantation who is now living on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1865. As the film opens, we are shown the full blooded makings of what is in part is a ghost story. The events are open to individual interpretation. Is the tiny farm house owned by Sethe actually haunted or is it the horrible memories in the mind of a former slave brought up from time to time? At least that's the way I saw it. Eight years pass. It is now 1873. Sethe lives with her daughter Denver (Kimberly Elise) and one calm afternoon, Paul D (Danny Glover) shows up and rekindles his memories of the past (he is also a former slave) with Sethe. The two of them worked together on the same plantation and they discuss events and realize that it's been 18 years since they last saw each other.
Paul D moves in with the family and adjusts to the day to day life with Sethe and Denver. One day, after returning from a town carnival, the three of them find a destitute young woman (Thandie Newton) who appears to suffer from mental instability and sheer psychological trauma. She says her name is Beloved, and is taken in by the family. For the benefit of those of you who don't want the film spoiled, I will not explain much more about the relationship between Beloved and the rest of the family except to say that the outcome of her presence in the film will leave you open to interpret it in your own way, much in the same way the ghost story overtones are open to the same individual interpretation early in the film.
Like any good story that gives meaning to the purpose of its characters, 'Beloved' takes movie audiences on a journey to the past and gives its story a hard-core amount of depth with memories of the past from its main characters, detailing the torturous aspects of slavery as one of the most terrible historical events in human history. It's story hasn't been told enough and while this film does examine its aspects only in flashbacks, it is an ample amount of education without being over done.
The performances in 'Beloved' are exceptionally strong and sympathetic in and of themselves without robbing the characters brought to life of what pride and dignity remain in their lives without being overly sentimental. Oprah Winfrey's performance IS the best one so far in 1998 by an actress and although Danny Glover is clearly seen in this film as a supporting actor, I hope he earns a long deserved Oscar nomination for his work on this film and Winfrey will enjoy her second Oscar nomination if nominated for this film. Her last Oscar nomination came in 1985 for Best Supporting Actress in 'The Color Purple'.
Unsettling? Yes. Weepy and sentimental? No. Intelligent and inspiring? Definitely. Those in search of light entertainment: beware. 'Beloved' will stay in your memory for days after you see it and isn't for those who like to forget about a movie a couple of hours after they've witnessed it. Oscar nominations are coming.
OUT OF 5 > * * * *
Visit FILM FOLLOW-UP by Walter Frith http://www.cgocable.net/~wfrith/movies.htm
The review above was posted to the
rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the
review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright
belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due
to ASCII to HTML conversion.
Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews