Bopha! (1993)

Memorable, crazy movie

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

It's hard to criticise a film that has such noble intentions. But what should have been a gripping story ended up being strangely emotionally a little flat. Danny Glover didn't really fill out his role adequately, and as his story is the central one, it was a little disappointing. Other performances were generally okay. The score by Horner was not his greatest, and seemed quite derivative of other composers. And way too often it sounded like an American score (all that brass!) Some of the cinematography was stunning.

In this story of a black policeman during South African apartheid, Danny Glover plays the cop, who believes he's trying to help his people, even while serving as a pawn of the racist government. When his son gets involved in the anti-apartheid movement, he finds himself torn between his family (including long-suffering wife Alfre Woodard) and what he believes is his duty. Danny Glover and Alfre Woodard give 2 powerful and moving perfomances in Bopha! and Malcom McDowell is excellent as the "villain" of the movie. Now where the film misses the mark it's within it's pacing which drags sometimes and an ending that was ridiculous and awful that didn't even bother explaining some things, Morgan Freeman's direction is sharp and well made and for the most part the film is watchable but it had potential for more. (6.5/10)

I've recently seen Bopha again and every time I see this film I am inspired. Morgan Freeman's direction is really something to behold. Rent this movie, see it, the quality of the direction and acting is top notch. There is one scene with Alfred Woodard, where Morgan Freeman skillful uses four or five different angles without cutting once. The tones and color of this movie really captures the beauty of South Africa which brilliantly juxtaposed against the horror and brutality of apartheid. I don't think this film was nominated for anything but of course the crimes and misdemeanors of films like this are nothing new. See this film its important that films like this and Schindlers list are kept in the public consciousness.

-SPOILERS- ------------PLOTMicah Mangena (Danny Glover) is a police commander of town Moraro in South African Republic in 1980, where Apartheid is still the only way of life. He loves his job and does it the best he knows how (which in his mind means following orders to the letter). De Villiers (Malcolm McDowell) is a chief of Special Units Team, witch arrive in town, because of the rising danger of protest, which might spread from areas around Moraro. At the same time, new generation of cadets is about to become part of SAP (South African Police) core. Micah's son is one of them, but has great doubts about his future employment. Soon everything will start to change dramatically, when secret student meeting, inspired by an idea of change, occurs.-----------To quote the beginning of the movie: In Zulu language Bopha means detention. In movie, every protester, who is captured by the police is being on indefinite detention (until special forces say he can go).Danny Glover is just great. He plays perfectly, a man who did his job for so long with so much heart, that he is unable to react properly, when that same job becomes a machinery of oppression. There are three things you can do in Moraro, in his opinion. Work in mine in slave like condition, to be without a job, and to be a member of SAP (as the most honorable of three)... He does the job to support his family, but ironically that same job will endanger it in the end. Vicious Malcolm McDowell is also great and a perfect cast for a mercy-less representative of Pretoria and hunter for leaders of student protests. The rest of the cast is also very impressive. They all try to pull out the SA accent and this gives a lot credit for a realistic representation. The screenplay, has a few small illogical turns, but it is a very strong writing... The movie is based on a play by Percy Mtwa, that made a lot of unrest in those days (20 years ago)...Morgan Freeman as a director (this is new) does also a fine job. He made a fine peace of human drama and it goes side by side with Hollywood products, with obvious smaller budget, but without pathetic moments. To bad Mr. Freeman didn't continue to direct. If you like human right movies and family dramas this is for you... I give 8 to this movie.