Today is the Robert Redford day and you might be surprised to know, that the film of his I have decided to include in my personal programming for today I am most excited for is Disney’s Pete’s Dragon remake. I do not even know why, it does not seem like something I would normally particularly enjoy. But I am excited! I sure hope it turns out to be better than The Natural which, I am afraid to say, bored me to no end.
But this post is not supposed to be about The Natural, but about Brubaker, a movie that is, I feel, less remembered even though it is definitely better. “Brubaker” is the name of Robert Redford’s character. He was just brought into the prison where he will save his time. Except… sike! He is not actually a prisoner, but the new warden who chose to first see the place “from the inside”. What he sees worries, perhaps even terrifies, him and he sets off to make some changes.
Wow, what a terrible places prisons were forty years ago, good thing those days are over. Phew!
Well. There is no denying that Brubaker is very heavy-handed and moralistic. But I do appreciate the direct criticism of the system, even if perhaps the issues we are discussing today are not yet brought to the forefront (although the situation of Black prisoners does get some focus). The drama is genuinely engaging for the most part although to me loses some of its strength when it does not focus on the prisoners specifically. Still, I do appreciate it and Redford is great.
Swingin' at the Seance 