[yasr_overall_rating]
After the end of Apartheid, Archbishop Desmond Tutu meets with a brutal murderer seeking redemption.
“The Forgiven” is set in Post-Apartheid South Africa 1996. In 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first Democratically black elected leader of South Africa. Mandela knew the deplorable segregation would have a lasting legacy of violence and hatred if the country couldn’t move on. Mandela created a special group to promote healing and peace called, ‘The Truth and Reconcile commission.’ Hoping that those that “fully confessed were offered the possibility of amnesty and the chance of forgiveness,” Archbishop Desmond Tutu was named the head of the commission and began to meet with the victims and perpetrators of Apartheid violence. While in his office, Tutu receives a rather articulate letter from a prisoner that quotes Plato and John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost.’ The letter is written by former policeman Piet Bloomfeld who is a known racist and murderer serving a lengthy prison sentence.
Eric Bana who plays Bloomfeld is not a stranger to playing notorious prisoners. In his breakout role in “Chopper,” he portrayed the larger than life criminal and showcased his range and charisma. In “Chopper,” one moment he’s making you laugh hysterically, the next he might just put a shiv in your eye. Bana is the perfect lead for the tall brooding Bloomfeld. He’s an intense prisoner with his shark black eyes projecting equal measures of nefariousness and sadness. Opposite Bloomfeld, Forest Whitaker takes on Tutu’s role and although he’s a reliable actor, I believe his accents in this and Black Panther were a bit sloppy. Accent aside, his presence and warmth help compensate. Tutu wants Bloomfeld to help shed light on a secret operation called ‘Hacksaw.’ Under this operation, death squads were targeting black people and leaving their bodies hidden in mass graves. Bana’s character is significant because he can link his former squad to their horrible crimes against humanity.
The screenplay is solid being equal parts historical and prison drama with some really emotional moments. In one scene, a grieving mother asks Tutu for just one piece of a bone so she could give her daughter’s remains a proper burial. The prison scenes were my favorite with Bloomfeld being torn by his anger and showing occasional gestures of humanity towards others. After viewing dozens and dozens of prison movies, it was refreshing to see the slight variations in the South African jail customs. Although there are some differences between our countries’ prisons, both are still an institution built on oppression and racism. The camerawork is solid and not too showy. Mostly it’s fixed and focused on subjects’ faces during conversations and when Bana is threatening a prison guard, his face it remains steadfast and unflinching.
The movie’s subject matter is devastating but still relevant today. The aftermath of colonization and racial oppression is still being fought every day around the world. The immediate importance is communicating with one another and to open doors instead of build fences. The film really drives home the sharing of experiences and sitting down face to face can do a lot for racial and existential healing.
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD Tuesday, May 15th from Lionsgate
