Knives Out

Today, we celebrate family togetherness. It's a perfect time for a film about family dysfunction. That film is Knives Out, writer and director Rian Johnson's mystery comedy. It's full of stunning twists and dark laughs. Let's see why.

Acclaimed mystery writer Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead in his mansion. His highly-dysfunctional family celebrated his 85th birthday the previous night. Lt. Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) are assigned to the case. Celebrity detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is summoned by an unknown party to help out. Harlan's death was apparently a suicide. But the detectives aren't that sure yet. They've got a whole bunch of suspects:

1. Son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), who didn't want Harlan to tell...

2. His wife and Harlan's daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), about an affair.

3. Son Walter (Michael Shannon), who got cut from his and Harlan's publishing company.

4. Daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette), who got caught embezzling from Harlan.

5. Grandson Ransom (Chirs Evans), annoyed that Harlan cut him from the will.

There's also Harlan's caretaker Marta Carbrera (Ana de Armas). She was the last person to see Harlan alive. She suddenly finds herself Harlan's sole heir. The family finds that too convenient. Marta and the detectives have to get to the bottom of the case fast.

The plot unfolds over 130 minutes. And you'll barely forget any one of them. Barely any tidbit, including Marta's physical incapability to lie, is unimportant. They're all relevant to the climax. Flashbacks slowly reveal the truth behind Harlan's last night. The ending is built on twists upon twists. It's as brilliant as it's hilarious. You won't get lost untangling this web.

The family as a whole is made up of comically unlikable jerks. The possible exceptions include Harlan's mother Wanetta (K Collan) and granddaughter Meg (Katherine Langford). But the others bicker, cheat and lie for all the world to hear. They're almost all of them elitist gold-diggers. They're most venomous when the will is read. The lawyer (Frank Oz) gladly waltzes out of the movie when they tell him out. Oh yeah, and just after they say they'll support Marta, they turn on her once she's named heir. I hope your family isn't like them.

Fortunately, the real protagonists are all likable. Marta is a hard-working woman caught up in tough circumstances. She wins the audience over with her selfless demeanor. You can feel her shock when she's named heir. You'll be pleased when she stands up to the family. Meanwhile, Blanc is a laugh riot with his unusual mindset. But you'll be amazed to see how competent he is. Blanc standing up for Marta is pretty good. Harlan makes the most of his comparatively limited screentime. You'll understand why he chose Marta over his family.

Harlan's house is the film's technical star. It's one of the most appealing Gothic houses since The Addams Family's. The most memorable touch is the massive knives display.  Its secret exits and rooms surely make it seem bigger on the inside. It kind of is; Production Designer David Crank used the real Ames Mansion and two sound stages for the place. Cinematographer Steve Yedlin and composer Nathan Johnson deserve points for their eerie work.

Knives Out is a fun twist on the murder mystery. We have a likable protagonist, an unlikely master detective, absurdly detestable suspects and memorable dialogue. You'll laugh and cheer when the real villain is caught. Overall, there's quite a bit to enjoy with this film. See it and you'll get it. Be prepared for some modern political topics (in case you don't like them).

The Irishman

Now for Netflix's biggest film of the year.

That film is Martin Scorsese's long-awaited and long in-development tale of The Irishman. Steven Zaillian's screenplay reworks Charles Brandt's book I Heard You Paint Houses, a biography of hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, into cinematic form. It all unfolds over a titanic 209 minute runtime. Hopefully, this review will take not even a quarter of that to read.

Around the 1950s, Sheeran (Robert De Niro) is a truck driver for a meat-packing company. His load vanishes one day, but lawyer Bill Bufalino (Ray Romano) gets him cleared of theft. Afterwards, Bufalino's cousin, Mafia Don Russell (Joe Pesci) decides to induct him into his services. This includes "painting houses" with blood. He gets the attention of top Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), who wants his help dealing with his enemies. Whether it be an annoying taxi company or Attorney General Robert Kennedy (Jack Huston).

After Hoffa's arrest and later pardon, his first priority is to go back on top. He doesn't care who he irritates along the way. Unfortunately for him, the irritated include the organized crime world. Russell tells Sheeran to tell Hoffa to keep it down. But he won't. This all culminates in Sheeran's explanation for Hoffa's disappearance in 1975. Yes, Sheeran's explanation. The original book's historical accuracy has been disputed. But the film's technical goodness is not.

Its most highly publicized technical feat is its visual effects. The visual effects that de-age Pacino, De Niro and Pesci by a good thirty or so years. At first, you might spend time looking for the seams. You'll later stop and ask yourself "what seams?" The digital makeup job is so great you can ignore any seams. No wonder this movie cost $175 million.

The screenplay has a lot to take in. We have Sheeran discussing his life with an unseen character (Brandt, maybe?). There's also Sheeran and Russell driving with their wives to Bill's daughter's wedding. Sheeran also tries to reconcile with his daughter, Peggy (a mostly mute Anna Paquin as an adult), who disapproves of her father's lifestyle (See his altercation with a local grocer). And of course, there's Sheeran's rise to power. Juggling between timelines can sometimes feel jarring. The film moves pretty quickly in its first half. It only strains at the last half-hour; it could've shaved that much.

Now for the cast. De Niro perfectly plays Sheeran as a tough, but sensitive man. Pacino's Hoffa is a well-meaning man whose ego is his biggest weakness. I mean, he's not that contrite when he asks a guy he previously insulted for union support. Pesci is subdued, but formidable as Russell Buffalino. It's easy to get lost amongst the film's mammoth supporting cast. Fortunately, a few of them have captions explaining their ultimate fates. It's even easier to not recognize some actors; some examples include Harvey Keitel as Don Angelo Bruno and Bobby Cannavale as his hitman, Felix.

The Irishman lives up to its hype. The digital fountain of youth is just as good as Marvel's. Its violence is mundane and brutal. Its runtime is a bit excessive. It's an interesting story about the futility of criminal life.  It's still worth a watch even if you have to take breaks. I did. It's playing at some theaters across the country. But they won't let you pause the movie. I'll let you decide where to see it.

Jojo Rabbit

Now for the most awkward comedy of the year.

Taika Waititi follows up Thor: Ragnarok with his take on Christine Leunen's novel Caging Skies, called Jojo Rabbit. It's a silly comedy set in an unfunny time. At least, it's silly until it's not. Let's see why.

Johannes Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) is an aspiring Hitler Youth living with his mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson). His imaginary friend is the Fuhrer himself (Waititi), who he envisions as an enthusiastic manchild. Johannes goes with his real friend, Yorki (Archie Yates), to training camp, supervised by Captain Klezendorf (Sam Rockwell). There, the other boys brand him "Jojo Rabbit" after he refuses to kill a rabbit. A grenade mishap ends Jojo's time at training camp. Afterwards, Rosie gets Klezendorf to hire Jojo as a menial worker.

Jojo finds an unexpected guest at home - a Jewish girl named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie). Furthermore, Rosie, as part of the German Resistance, hid her. If Jojo rats Elsa out, Rosie will surely hang. So Jojo uses the situation to learn about Jewish culture. He soon realizes that Adolf and the Nazi way are bad influences. He and Elsa have to avoid detection some how.

A lot to take in, isn't it?

It starts as a goofy comedy which mocks Hitler's cult-of-personality. The drills Jojo and his peers are put through are played as absurd war games. It gradually gets more serious when Elsa is introduced. Her introduction even plays out like a horror movie - which is surprisingly apt for one of Jojo's worldview. There's a few more goofy moments, but not that much, especially after a tragic discovery. A surprise visit from the Gestapo is appropriately terrifying. Jojo's former peers resisting the Allies in the climax is tragically absurd. But Jojo finally rejecting the Nazi way is awesome and funny.

Davis makes a great lead as Jojo. Sure, he's an aspiring Nazi, but he's clearly misguided. The whole movie is him learning a lesson some adults clearly haven't. It's amazing to see Jojo become "rabbit the survivor," instead of "rabbit the coward." McKenzie as Elsa makes a great surrogate sister for Jojo, complete with bickering and reconciliation. Johansson and Rockwell are strong supporting players here. Rebel Wilson is a surprising choice as Klezendorf's assistant Frau Rahm, but she was funny.

And finally, there's Waititi as Adolf himself. He's introduced as a goofy father figure for Jojo. He's useless at the sight of blood, but he shows Jojo the upside of being a "rabbit." Adolf goes from a goofy madman to a monstrous madman as he beckons Jojo to fulfill his duty. It's a great parallel to Jojo's character arc as he realizes the severity of the Nazi way. Again, Jojo's rejection of Adolf is sure to bring some applause.

There's plenty of technical highlights here. Production Designer Ra Vincent creates some alluring locales from Jojo's house to the training camp to Jojo's unnamed town (before and after an Allied Air Raid). Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. provides some stunning scenery of the Czech Republic, which stands in for Germany. Editor Tom Eagles and Composer Michael Giacchino collaborate the best when Jojo discovers Elsa and during the film's tragic swerve. The soundtrack adds to the goofiness with some German-translated Rock Songs.

Jojo Rabbit isn't a film for everyone. Some might find the Nazi mockery distasteful. Others may find it empty-headed. For me, it's a good story about a boy growing up. His rejection of a toxic influence shows how much he's changed. The story ends well even if everyone doesn't make it. It's worth a watch. There's more depth than you might imagine.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Why, hello neighbor. Come on in.

You may recall last year I highlighted the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor, a film about Mister Fred Rogers. Today, I highlight the narrative feature A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which was formerly called You Are My Friend. It stars Tom Hanks as Rogers and is based on the Esquire article Can you Say ... Hero? by Tom Junod.

Junod is represented by Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys). Vogel is an acclaimed journalist with a wife, Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson), and baby, Gavin. His relationship with his father, Jerry (Chris Cooper), is highly strained. One day, his editor, Ellen, assigns him to write an article on Fred Rogers. When he meets Mister Rogers at WQED in Pittsburgh, Vogel can't believe that real Fred is as wholesome as TV Fred. He's not impressed at how Fred asks him about his own life. Overtime, Fred's gentle personality helps Vogel mend his troubled relationships.

Director Marielle Heller frames the movie as an extended episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Among other touches, we get to see establishing shots of miniature cities instead of real ones. We also see Hanks re-enact the show's opening so perfectly I thought he was Gumped over the real Fred. But, no. Production Designer Jade Healy's recreation of the show's sets - at the actual WQED studio! - was that flawless. Cinematographer Jody Lee Jipes's work makes the Mister Rogers segments look like pristine TV footage. It's easy to get used to the film switching aspect ratios as it goes from The Land of Make-Believe to Real Life.

Now for the star. Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers perfectly embodies the soft-spoken nice guy Fred Rogers was. The film, like the documentary, shows how nice he was both on-screen and off. He never raises his voice even when one thinks he will. He responds to others' frustrations with patience and understanding. Yes, I made similar points about Fred in the documentary, but Hanks' performance here was on point. The film is another reminder why Fred Rogers is beloved.

Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue's screenplay is another welcome neighbor. We're introduced to Vogel as a picture on Mister Rogers' wall. We're told Vogel is hurt inside, and we wonder why. The film tells us why in a slow but steady 107 minute runtime. During which, we get to see Vogel see Mister Rogers' impact on others - including a scene where subway riders serenade Fred with the show's theme. We see him struggle with his past in an eerie nightmare. We feel it when he finally reconciles with Jerry. 

What's more to say about A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood? Along with Won't You Be My Neightbor, this is another fine invitation to Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Its two leads welcome you into the movie with open arms. It's a quiet movie but it's heavily emotional. Its comforting morals are most welcome this year. It deserves whatever attention it gets (maybe more).

Frozen II

Have no fear, Elsa is here.

Six years after Frozen lit up the box office, its sequel, Frozen II, will do the same. I don't know if it's better than its originator, but this film is dazzling in its own way. Let's discuss.

In the prologue, Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna's (Kristen Bell) parents told them how their granddad, King Runeard (Jeremy Sisto), built a dam for the indigenous Northulda tribe of a nearby Enchanted Forest. The Northuldrans attacked and killed the King, while their elemental spirits sealed away the Forest in mist.

Three years after Frozen, the now Queen Elsa of Arendale, along with Anna, Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) the mountain man, Sven the Reindeer and Olaf the Snowman (Josh Gad) live happily ever after. But then, a wailing voice (courtesy of Norwegian singer Aurora), calls out to Elsa. Elsa's response wakes up the elemental spirits. They attack Arendale.

The troll leader Pabbie (Ciaran Hinds) tells our heroes to go to the Enchanted Forest. There's a whole lot of secrets and lies in Arendale's history. One involves the circumstances of how Anna and Elsa's parents met. Another concerns the origins of Elsa's ice powers. One more concerns the attack that killed Runeard. Our heroes can only quell the spirits by righting the past wrongs.

The screen story was conceived by directors Jennifer Lee & Chris Buck, along with songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez and Marc Smith. It's not an easy story to sum up in a few paragraphs. Elsa's spirit awakening happens when she lets loose with icicles during her big number, Into the Unknown. It's a colorful display, but how does that wake spirits? The nature of Ahtohallan, Elsa's ultimate destination, is sure to raise some questions. A few plot points are too easy to guess beforehand.

What the film gets especially right is its music. Amongst the songs, Into the Unknown might have the best shot at Oscar time as much as Let it Go did for the first film. It's a strong ballad whose only flaw is that it plays too early on. Another standout is Kristoff's lament Lost in the Woods - a goofy parody of stupid 80s music videos. There's also the heavily emotional The Next Right Thing and Olaf's goofy When I am Older. Christophe Beck's score stands out amongst the songs. I could go on, but I won't.

The returning characters are a great bunch. Anna and Elsa's relationship is still endearing. Anna's relationship with Kristoff includes some comically painfully forced conflict - though the resolution was strong. Olaf and Sven are most welcome here. Two new characters, the Northuldran Ryder (Jason Ritter) and Honeymaren (Rachel Matthews), barely get much to do. Two of the Elemental Spirits, a salamander and water horse, are appealing creatures. The true villain of the piece gets off too easy - as he's already dead.

The visuals are another strong asset. Whether it's Elsa's wardrobe or the Enchanted Forest, the film gives us much splendor. The water effects are realistic, which adds much to the film's best scene. It's when Elsa walks on the raging ocean, and fights and tames the water horse. It's even better than what the already spectacular trailers showed. The Ice Memory Sculptures are another marvelous sight. What's that about ice memory? It makes sense in context.

Frozen II is a great film to look at and listen to. It's sure to take a while to process the heavy storyline. But it's ultimately worth it. There are some strong dramatic and funny moments as memorable as the first film. It's not an instant milestone, but it might become more regarded later on. It's worth whatever price to see it on the big screen.

Ford v Ferrari

James Mangold's last two directed films starred The Wolverine. His latest film, Ford v Ferrari, trades superheroes for race cars. It's an exciting entry into next year's Oscar race.

In 1963, Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) decides to buy the Ferrari company. The "Commendatore" himself, Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone), sells his company to Fiat instead. Ford decides to get even by building a race car. His goal is the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which Ferrari-built Cars are on a winning streak. Ford needs a maker and a driver.

His maker is Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), the last man to drive a non-Ferrari to victory. His driver is Ken Miles (Christian Bale), a hotheaded racer and mechanic. The two have a rocky relationship. But Shelby knows Miles is the best man for the job. A few Ford execs, namely Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), don't approve of Miles. Shelby and Miles will have to prove them wrong with the GT40 Mk II.

They deliver.

The racing scenes deserve the big screen. The biggest screens possible. Editors Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland and the Sound Designers make each race perfectly fast paced and tense. You'll be cheering for Miles even if you came in mildly curious. Each crash will put you on edge. You won't believe that much of the stadium crowds are digital. For me, the Mk II lighting up like the Delorean time machine as Miles overclocks it was the most stunning effect.

Damon and Bale make a great duo. Individually, both men are likable guys. Together, they are fun. Their arguments are serious, but often resolved hilariously. It's awesome to see them work it out. Their supporting cast has a few strong players, including Letts, Noah Jupe (as Miles' son, Peter), Caitriona Balfe (as Miles' wife, Mollie), Lucas and Jon Bernthal as Ford President Lee Iacocca.

The screenplay by Jez and John Butterworth, with Jason Keller, mostly works. It sets up the plot, along with Shelby and Miles' issues, clearly and quickly. Where it doesn't exactly work is the ending. Specifically, the events after Le Mans feel anti-climactic after the highs of the race. They're also unexpectedly tragic, albeit historically accurate, but that's another thing. The ending is where the 152 minute runtime is most apparent. Everything else zooms by wonderfully.

Ford v Ferrari is an entertaining racing film. Its two stars entertain the audience on and off the track. Its racing scenes are some of the best on screen. Its only real flaw is the relatively slow-paced ending. Still, it's an awesome film that deserves a steady place in theaters this holiday season. 

Doctor Sleep

Stanley Kubrick's take on Stephen King's The Shining is regarded as a classic horror film. It's also best remembered for King's dislike of it. But he's reportedly pleased with Doctor Sleep, the film version of his 2013 sequel novel of The Shining, which follows the original film instead of the novel. Why the name Doctor Sleep? Let's see.

Danny Torrance and his mother, Wendy, escaped with their lives from the demonic Overlook Hotel. But the Hotel's ghostly guests followed him to civilization. The ghosts sought his psychic abilities, the titular Shining, for sustenance. Fortunately, the ghost of Overlook cook Dick Hallorann (Carl Lumbly) taught Danny how to seal the ghosts away in mental boxes. Years later, "Dan" (Ewan McGregor) is a driftless alcoholic who finds purpose as a small town hospice orderly. The patients name him Doctor Sleep for his uncanny ability to soothe folks in their very last moments.

Meanwhile, an evil coven of soul-sucking vampires, The True Knot, murder Shiners and feed off their "steam." Their leader, Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson), notices, and is noticed by, a particularly powerful teenage Shiner, Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran), and wants her dead. Abra, meanwhile, notices Dan, and the two become friends. Dan tries to teach Abra to subdue her Shining. But it's too late; The True Knots are coming to get her. They'll have to put up a fight. It all leads them back to the Overlook.

The film is written, directed and edited by Mike Flanagan, who also adapted King's Gerald's Game for Netflix. Its biggest hurdle is its 151 minute runtime. It takes about fifteen minutes before Dan appears as an adult, and a little longer for the main plot to get going. There's still a few memorable moments along the way. One scene, in particular, is excessively long and shocking: the True Knots' utterly brutal torture of a Shining Little-leaguer - and Abra's understandable psychic panic attack as she witnesses it. It's unbearable with an overloud sound system. It's still satisfying when the villains meet their ends. The climax even borrows from The Shining's explosive literary finale.

There's a pretty good cast here. Curran makes a strong debut as Abra, who proves a surprisingly capable psychic warrior. McGregor is decent as an emotionally subdued man. And Ferguson is equally vile and hammy as Rose the Hat. The True Knots, whose oddly-named members include Barry the Chunk and Crow Daddy, take a while to become distinctive characters. One of the most distinct is Snakebite Andi (Emily Alyn Lind), a con-artist who gets inducted early in the film. The casting department deserves medals for its dead-ringers for the original film's characters. None of that is visual effects.

The actual visual effects conjure up some stunning results. A few memorable feats include Rose flying above a city, some rotating rooms, and the True Knots' dissolving to steam as they die. It's incredible for a film at least $45 million. Flanagan's best editing feats involve flashbacks to The Shining. Some of it is stock footage, while other bits look like it. Production Designer Maher Amid's recreation of the Overlook is just that good. The Newton Brothers create a score as foreboding as Wendy Carlos's work from the first film. Some of that iconic score is reprised here.

Doctor Sleep is ready to see you now. Are you ready to see it? It won't punish you that badly if you never heard of The Shining. Be warned that it is quite long and occasionally disturbing. But it ended pretty well ... depending on one's interpretation. Overall, this sequel is better late than never. Though I can't imagine how they could do part three. See it, read it, and you'll get it.

Parasite

Before I review this film, a word of warning...

JETHRO! It's me, Baxter.

I have a guest. 

I heard you were going to review Parasite! That anime was something else, wasn't it? But it's a few years old and...

I'm not reviewing the anime or its live-action films, which is Parasyte with a y. Instead, I'm reviewing South Korea's entry for this year's now-renamed International Film Oscar. Parasite, with an I, was written and directed by Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Snowpierecer, Okja). 

The Host? Twilight meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers?!

Before I get into arguing over similarly titled works, let's review the film.

OK.

The Kim family do whatever they can to live through poverty. One day, son Kim Ki-Woo's (Choi Woo-Shik) friend Min-Hyuk (Park Seo-joon) suggests he take over for him as the English tutor of Park Dy-hye (Jung Ji-so). The Park family is far wealthier than the Kims. Ki-woo smells an opportunity and decides to get his family jobs with the Parks. He first gets his sister, Ki-jeong (Park So-dam), hired as an art tutor for the Parks' son Da-song (Jung Hyun-joon). Their parents, Ki-Taek (Song Kang-Ho) and Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), swindle their way to becoming chauffeur and housekeeper. The Parks don't realize that they're being conned.

The Kims are happy to feed off the Parks. But when the Parks' former housekeeper, Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun), unexpectedly returns, the charade starts to collapse. 

Bong and his co-writer, Han Jin-won, create what is surely this year's darkest comedy. It introduces the Kims as unpleasant and desperate people. The Park family, while better off, have their own issues. It leads to some hilarious dialogue and situations. Still, the Kims test their audiences' sympathy by tricking the Parks into firing Moon-gwang and the prior chauffer. Once Moon-gwang's secret is revealed, the audience pities the Kims as they realize the magnitude of their situation. The comedy gradually phases out after that. It all leads to a cataclysmic ending.

Who stands out among the cast? I'll name a few. Ki-Taek starts the film as an unmotivated loser, though we do learn his understandable, fatalistic motives. Ki-Woo is a good protagonist. The Park parents, Dong-ik (Lee Sun-Kyun) and Yeon-kyo (Cho Yeo-jong), are sympathetic, ignorant rich folks with somewhat skewed priorities. The most sympathetic character is Moon-gwang; her secret involves a surprise character.

Production designer Lee Ha Jun's best work is the Park house. Sure, it looks like an idyllic mansion, but wait till you see the underground bunker. As filmed by cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, the bunker is an alluring claustrophobic nightmare. It's fitting for what comes afterward. Other artistic achievements include the Kims' tiny apartment and the nighttime Seoul photography. The sound design is perfectly creepy ... bar the first few minutes, as my theater forgot to play the sound! At least I still got to hear most of Jung Jae Il's intense score. 

Parasite is a memorable exercise in mood whiplash. It goes from cynically hysterical to cynically disturbing during its 132 minutes. Its screenplay is sure to shock and amaze you. It's not for the feint of heart. See it if you're up to it. Look elsewhere for a happier film. I'm sure you'll find some in many languages.

Harriet

We now go to a biopic with a significantly less troubled production than The Current War. 

Harriet, the biopic of Harriet Tubman, spent years in development. But it all went smoothly once filming started. Here's the end result.

Harriet Tubman (Cynthia Erivo) was born into slavery as Araminta Ross. She married a freedman, John Tubman (Zackary Momoh). Her cruel master, Edward Brodress (Mike Marunde), cheats her out of her freedom. When Brodress dies, his son, Gideon (Joe Alwyn), decides to sell Araminta downriver. This drives Araminta to escape up to Pennsylvania. She's welcomed into the Anti-Slavery Society by William Still (Leslie Odom Jr), joins the Underground Railroad and takes on the name of Harriet Tubman.

Harriet goes back and forth to the South to free the slaves. Among her first rescues are her brothers. Soon enough, "Moses," as she is nicknamed, has an ever increasing bounty on her head. Gideon is ready and willing to collect. He has two Black slavetrackers, Walter (Henry Hunter Hall) and Bigger Long (Omar J. Dorsey), to help him. Harriet's mission is further complicated by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act. But she won't rest until her family is led to safety.

Cynthia Erivo makes a great choice as Harriet. Her plight and drive is compelling. We see Harriet pull off subterfuge on par with The Scarlet Pimpernel. She's more than willing to fight if needed. Throughout the film, she has visions of the future, which she attributes to God. It's somewhat over-dramatic, though not entirely out of place in this grounded film. One of the visions drives Walter to have a Heel-Face Turn; it's a bit abrupt, though an interesting development.

And the villains. Alwyn as Gideon is a capably vile man. He believes he's doing the right thing by hunting Harriet, but his callous racism voids any sympathy from the audience. Even his "rescue" of Harriet from Bigger Long has a selfish motivation. Meanwhile, his mother, Eliza (Jennifer Nettles), has an almost sympathetic motivation to keep her Farm alive - keyword is "almost." Marunde as Edward perfectly fails to endear himself to the audience. Bigger makes for a brutal co-antagonist. 

A few more highlights from the cast include Janelle Monae as Harriet's friend, Marie Buchannen, Clark Peters as Harriet's father, Ben, and Kathryn Tkel as Tilly, a rescued slave who pulls off a bit of her own subterfuge. 

Now for the technicals. Harriet's visions are presented by cinematographer John Toll with eerie washed-out color. His nighttime cinematography is alluring. So is the production design by Walter Allan Young; Marie's boarding house is splendid. Terence Blanchard's score includes a few strong hymns for Harriet to sing. The makeup department convincingly ages Harriet and the cast through the years. Editor Wyatt Smith builds the tension as Harriet undertakes her missions. Their work should get some Academy consideration.

Director Kasi Lemmons and her co-writer, Gregory Allen Howard, create a compelling biopic with Harriet. Whatever flaws it may have barely impede it. Its 125 minutes present the story of a woman who sought to end a certain injustice. Some may question why the final confrontation plays out like it does - but it makes sense as a form of cruel mercy. See it at least once and you might learn something new.

Historical liberties not withstanding.