Native Son

Read the book a long time ago. Still have it. Watched the movie and it started off following the novel by Robin Wright fairly well.

I don't believe a movie adaptation of a novel has to follow the story line and it can be more interesting to have some twists or re-telling of the story. In this case I would say it is a re-telling but the one let down for me is the buildup to the ending.

It felt like it was rushed and they did not have the time or the budget to provide the finer details of the story to explain the heart of the original story of why the title "Native Son" applied so well to Big and his part to society.

An incredible cast and I enjoyed everyone's acting. Most of the camerawork was great in my opinion. Felt like it did update the story for our present time. Wished there was more reference to slum lords and the legal system.

For folks that have not read the book, I hope it inspires them to read it. I know I will be re-reading the story again.

Finally the new adaption of Richard Wright's classical novel is here, ever since I read the book and I found out a movie was being made, I have been looking forward to this. That said, I hade very high expectations of it, seeing that the novel is so captivating and in every sense great.

The first thing I noticed that differed from the book, was the main character, Bigger Thomas. In the movie he has green hair, nails painted black and wears trashy clothes, something that is supposedly ment to showcase Bigger's world view. But let's be honest, it is nothing but ridiculous. Furthermore, he and his family does not seem to suffer from the same economic and racial struggles as in the book.

Moreover, there is little that shows a society that treats Bigger and other Black people less worhthy, as the book does. This is a vital failure as the whole novel builds on these themes and is the underlying factors behind Biggers actions later on. This misstep makes the movie lack depth and meaning, as well as failing to to fully deliver the measage. Now this film is a modern adaptation, and society has come a long way since the 1930's, even though there are still inequalities. The movie doesn't really emphasis this either, as the only attempt comes from modestly showing some police brutality in the ending.

Moving on, the ending feels very forced and quick as well, and it wouldn't have hurt to add another 30 minutes to it - especially just to get to see that famous courtoom scene from the novel. It was truly disappointing not to see it as it was one of the things I looked forward to the most. This movie suffers greatly from the lack of a good script.

However, the script may be poor, but the directing and cinematography sure isn't. Director Rashid Johnson pulls a rabbit out of the hat, saving this movie from being a total disaster. The lightning and colours are very nice and helps display the dark setting of the film. As well as great camerawork and some good looking scenes. Just imagine how good this could have been with a good script.

While I thought the characters were developed well in the first part of the film, the ending was extremely rushed. I read and loved the book but I felt these characters didn't stay true to the underlying themes within the novel that made it so great. This film doesn't really show the true effects of fear on Bigger and key elements were changed that once again took away from how wonderful this film could have been. I was disappointed.

I think this can only be seen as a metaphor because this "plot" can not be taken serious. For one hour the movie is alright even though is is poorly structured since usually within the first half hour you get what the story is about. Here you got no direction.

At one point our main character will do something unbelievable. I mean that in the literal sense. It is so ridiculously contrived to create drama that it is laughable. At this point it is as if you are watching a whole different movie. It becomes more of a montage and totally falls apart underlined by the unnecessary and pretentious voice over. Sad thing is there was very good acting in here.

McCarthyism drove Richard Wright away from his land ;he sought refuge in France where his novels were already famous ;so the first adaptation (by himself) was filmed in Argentina by French Pierre Chenal ,a film noir past master ; a colossal mistake was to have the writer play the part of Bigger (25) when he was in his forties; in spite of that ,the film is estimable.

A MTV work followed,in the eighties ,starring Victor Love ,Matt Dillon and Elizabeth McGovern was also interesting :were it for the faithfullness to the novel and good acting , it is to recommend.

The same cannot be said of this third adaptation , transferred to the modern era -which is highly debatable- : the boiler,to name but one detail ,becomes ridiculous in a wealthy family's house .Acting is undistinguished ,the script written in a slapdash manner,and the novel sweeetened ,cheapened and botched : the girlfriend's fate for instance ; the Bigger/Jan relationship is hardly skimmed over ; one never feels that the unfortunate hero knows that his fight is already lost ,and that his boss' patronizing and the rich kids ' social activism will always leave him a chauffeur , a flunkey ; the beginning is a mess, the ending takes the easy way out .Bigger 's frames of mind voice over are not enough to do the powerful novel justice.