This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.
Dutchman
Basically a two character play put on film. It's not necessarily something that benefits from going from a play to a film, as it's all very dramatic and confined. That doesn't make a bad film of course, unless that's your personal opinion. I love theatre, so I didn't mind seeing this put up on the screen quite simply.
It all takes place on one subway car. It's a story about race and gender. Racial tensions, stereotypes, and viewpoints in a certain time and place, but the story is still as potentially relevant and shocking today as it was then.
Shirley Knight plays Lulu in a believable way. In fact she's a real annoying bitch, but somehow manages for just a moment now and then to find some sympathy. Al Freeman Jr. pulls off quite an impressive transformation as well.
The only thing I couldn't figure out was why that train ride was so freakin long! Maybe I'm just not well enough aware of the subway in and geography in New York. There were obviously a lot of references to times and places that I just missed too, but the specifics gave it a realistic feeling.
Rating: 8/10