Red Dust

I was unsure of this movie before renting and did so on the assurance that Hilary Swank has always given excellent performances in her movies. She seems to rely on restraint to gain the emotional impact that she does. And she didn't prove me wrong in this movie.

However the movie also had fantastic performances from all other members of the cast both speaking and non-speaking. I have to single out Jamie Bartlett and Chiwetel Ejiofor - the two main protagonists - for their outstanding acting abilities and portrayal of true human feelings and failings. The whole movie ran almost like a documentary.

I must applaud Tom Hooper as the director and Avril Beukes as the editor for keeping a multiple layered story being revealed smoothly whilst keeping dialogue and action moving along in an understandable fashion. The opening sequence of the South African landscape was striking and I had to push the pause button to savour the photography.

Why can't a movie like this ever get nominated for an International award. It seems to me to hit the high-rating button on all counts. It was not just a film it was a true experience of life in a country coming out of apartheid. A life of poverty was all around but it celebrated the dignity of the human spirit.

I haven't seen a film in a long time that moved me and gripped me in such a way; that I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. I was busting for the loo; and I didn't even want to pause it because I was drawn right in. Emotive; powerful; very moving; horrific and heart-breaking. It gives you an amazing insight to South Africa; their struggles and their lives. The acting by the leads were mind-blowing and the script was incredible. Despite the terrible events that unfold in this film and how horrific the story is; I was captivated. I don't want to even try and explain the story; it's way too complex and I wouldn't do it justice. Please see this; you'll understand why when you do. Cheers, Hol

Not knowing a great deal about the Truth and Reconciliation commission, I can only look at this as a piece of entertainment. I started watching it too late in the evening (recorded from BBC2 earlier this year) but once I'd started I had to watch to the end.

The down-side is that it's effectively a courtroom drama - never my favourite genre - but it's stunningly photographed (largely in super-saturated ochres) and well acted. Like a good novel, I couldn't put it down. All the way through, I wished I was watching it in a cinema to do the music and photography justice. What happened to its release in theatres? I'm an admirer of Chiwetel Ejiofor since I saw him in Dirty Pretty Things, and Hilary Swank looks terrific in this - very female and sexy for a change (possibly out of place, but she adds to the visual attractiveness of the film).

This picture deserves a wider audience than it seems to be getting.

In South Africa the Truth & Reconciliation Commission hear the confessions of those in the former power who took part in crimes, torture and violations of human rights. Those that confess are granted immunity and it is only those that try to conceal their involvement who are open for prosecution. When former police officer Hendricks confesses to the torture of Alex Mpondo, it starts a chain of events. Mpondo pans to contest the amnesty of Hendricks despite his hazy recollection and wants to know what became of fellow activist Steve Sizela, who was arrested at the same time and never seen again. South African born lawyer Sarah Barcant returns at the request of her father to represent Mpondo and try to uncover the truth behind the story.

Forgiveness and healing are two words that are easy to say but very difficult to do. It is near impossible for me to understand what the village councils held in Rwanda must be like, where those that massacred others must confess all to gain amnesty; likewise I cannot comprehend the challenges that all involved with the TRC in South Africa have faced – to have people admit to so much but get off with nothing, as it were. This film doesn't really manage to get close to examining that pain because instead it goes for more of a courtroom drama approach that uses the TRC as its frame rather than being the focus. In doing this it still manages to be interesting, even though the serious tone and real setting means it ploughs a pretty straight furrow and cannot indulge in the genre histrionics that it occasionally suggests it wants to do.

As a bit of basic insight into the Truth & Reconciliation Commission, the film is still interesting and will probably move those that are somewhat unaware of the situation. However for me it would have been much more interesting to allow a debate to rage, for the sheer complexities of the situation to be aired but, by going for a mystery approach it becomes morally quite clean-cut and not as reality has shown it often can be – only towards the end does it take the time for a bit of thought, which is fine but I would have liked it to have been part of the film rather than an epilogue. The cast would probably have taken to this challenge as well because, although they are quite good, nobody really sets the world on fire. Swank deserves credit for doing the film but she is not that good and seems to have been added to provide a bankable star to drive the courtroom action. Ejiofor is better because he has more complexity to him, although I would have liked him to share more scenes with Bartlett, who is also strong in a difficult role. Roberts is poor because the film uses him as a nice clear baddie for the audience to hate. The direction is mostly good, setting up interesting shots here and there – but the film is mostly helped by the good use of locations, which are convincing and set the sense of place very well.

Overall this is a good film but not as moving or as thought-provoking as it could have been. By leading with a straight thriller type plot, the debate and the insight is left to the minority of moments and, although interesting is not all that I had hoped for. The cast are good and the Western cast deserve credit for taking on a worthy subject. This deserves a bigger audience than it is have received and is worth watching if you get the chance.

The South African lawyer Sarah Barcant (Hilary Swank) travels from New York back to her hometown to represent the member of the Parliament Alex Mpondo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission since torturer police officer Dirk Hendricks (Jamie Bartlett) has made an application for amnesty. The parents of Steve Sizela request Sarah to represent them also since their son that was arrested with Mpondo but has gone missing.

Hendricks uses one break in the trial to threaten Mpondo, promising to destroy his political career telling that he was a traitor. But Mpondo, who is a man traumatized with the torture, anticipates and tells what has happened to Steve Sizela and him in the hands of Hendricks and his superior Piet Müller (Ian Roberts). Will the remains of Steve be found and the truth disclosed?

"Red Dust" is a very well-acted drama about amnesty of torturers, with stunning performance of Chiwetel Ejiofor. The story takes place in South Africa post-Apartheid but could have been in South America, for example, where many torturers have granted their amnesty despite their cruel past during dictatorships. Truth and reconciliation seem to be very difficult to achieve in these situations, when usually torturers grant their freedom and victims are forced to forget what they did to them and live with their traumas and losses. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available