ROLL M |
The Hurricane (starring Denzel Washington, Vicellus Reon Shannon, Liev Schreiber, John Hannah, Rod Steiger; screenplay by Armyan Bernstein and Dan Gordon, based on the book The 16th Round, by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter; directed by Norman Jewison; rated R). Don't be fooled by the poster for this movie, which depicts Denzel Washington as a prizefighter; this is NOT a film about boxing. The title is not the best one either - I had friends asking me if it was about storms in Florida. Wrong on both counts - The Hurricane, based on the memoir by Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, is riveting drama about a man wrongly imprisoned, trying to maintain his balance and dignity inside the prison system by never allowing his spirit to become incarcerated.
For a while, there are two parallel stories - that of Hurricane and his travails, and the story of a youth adopted by some Canadians determined to give the young man a second chance at life. When the youngster happens across a copy of Hurricane's book, The 16th Round, his life becomes intertwined with a man he has never met, as he and the Canadians take up Carter's cause. Wrongful imprisonment is not a new subject; it's done with almost weekly regularity on TV shows like "60 Minutes" and "Dateline NBC." What makes this movie stand out is the outstanding performance given by Denzel Washington. It's a high point in his already successful career, with an Oscar® nomination a distinct possibility. FOUR OWLS OUT OF FIVE