redbelt

i don't often write about movies (that don't have superman in them), but i recently watched a movie that i had been anticipating for months and i found it to be utterly exemplary.  and since the toronto international film festival is on now, and i'm not there, i thought that a movie review would be apropos.  the movie was redbelt by one of my favourite writer/directors, david mamet.  i’ve loved mamet’s work since i started university and saw “glengarry glen ross”.  that movie has an incomparable cast consisting of al pacino, alan arkin, ed harris, kevin spacey, and a career-defining performance by jack lemmon that is simply unbelievably brilliant.  the movie was a masterpiece of american tragedy easily on par with “death of a salesman”.

redbelt features chiwetel ejiofor as a jujitsu instructor working in south LA.  a black belt, he struggles to pursue a combination of the american dream of running a business and helping people to live their lives with dignity and courage, and living the honourable life of a peaceful warrior.  it’s a variation on the traditional “boxer” story common in american literature that the fighter is beset with hardship and must overcome adversity in a characteristic manner  in spite of seemingly impossible odds.

through a series of seemingly unrelated circumstances, and here mamet’s brilliance really shines, an elaborate and virtually inescapable trap is set that forces him to compete in the corrupt and decidedly dishonourable pay-per-view fighting circuit.  i really don’t want to give anything away, but the way the movie flips seeming complete failure into totally unexpected victory is an amazing surprise that shocks you like a sudden escape from an iron headlock and a devastating neck throw to the mat!  the tag line for the movie is “There's always a way out. You just have to find it” – and when the main character does, it is simply one of the best moments i’ve seen in cinema in years.

i really can’t say enough good about this movie.  it’s available for rent and i’ve already watched it twice since renting it saturday.  go rent it.  go watch it.  it’s totally worth it.

- g