Um Herói Diferente

Who already follow the Pryor's career will be surprised about this serious role in this anti-war movie, based on a book this picture bring to us an another and hidden Pryor's profile, without losing focus of course, he takes all bitter experience from a soldier who was at Vietinam's POW and all this is handling by USA's Army.

When he is back, the real problem begin when he realizes that he isn't a hero anymore, he has judgment after he'd signs a complete confession to save a soldier's life, forgotten by his wife and worst by own country is too much for him, all mixed with good jokes and con behavior takes the picture as a pleasant entertainment!!

Resume:

First watch: 1992 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD-R / Rating: 7.

In this film, it starts off great and it kinda sizzles after a while, but it is at least put together well by one guy- Richard Pryor. He rises above the material here like no other and actually gives a good dramatic/comedic performance (his best dramatic one besides Blue Collar). While the prison camp scenes are quite intriguing, it becomes a little undone at home. That's my complaint. B-

Richard Pryor spent half a decade as a POW in Vietnam. Now he's back in the US, and he's a hero. Except that his wife has walked out on him, his mother is in a nursing home and they want more money, the Army is taking its time on anything except for using him in press conferences and the bank he asks for a loan won't grant it. The only person willing to actually help is Margot Kidder, a high-class call girl, and he names her profession baldly.

Watching Pryor in a straight role is interesting. He plays the same sort of character he does in his comedies, hapless and out of his depth, but without the air of hysteria that informs his comedy. The result is a telling satire of the growing disconnect between the promise of America and the reality.

This film starts off like an extremely poignant drama. The bond between Richard Pryor and Ray Sharkey in the POW camp is seamlessly acted. The musical score by Patrick Williams is outstanding and very sad. The films middle is just as good, with very moving parts with Pryor returning from war to deal with problems with his mother, his wife, and his life. However, after this the film goes awry. The films keeps its respectability however, because Pryor is such a good actor.

I enjoyed the movie, but it made me feel disgusted about how the army and the citizens of America treated a POW.