Brubaker
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Movie Reviews of Brubaker
Movie Review: An earnest work
Summary: 3 Stars
I have always had a soft spot for the 1980 film "Brubaker." This earnest work, detailing horrible conditions in a Southern prison, stars Robert Redford in fine superstar form as liberal warden Henry Brubaker attempting to reform the conditions of a penal system suffering from decades of neglect. "Brubaker," in many ways, is the end of a glorious 1970's era of Redford's career. He would soon become a director ("Ordinary People" in 1980), and would work only sporadically as an actor for the next 10 years, evolving into the older roles we see today.
Redford's character mysteriously arrives on the scene as a quiet inmate, witnessing a variety of shocking injustices including torture, rape, maggot-infested food and murder. After 30 minutes of grime (which evidently takes place over several days), he steps forward, revealing himself to be the new prison warden.
Based on an actual case which took place in Arkansas during the 1960s, "Brubaker," to its discredit, takes quiet a few liberties for dramatic effect. I have always wondered how Redford's character escaped unscathed during his brief inmate tenure. And when he finally makes his proclamation, he takes a huge risk by walking into the warden's office adorned in nothing more than soiled prisoner scrubs. This is not the way it happened, and while this device allows the viewer to witness primitive prison conditions first-hand, it creates an uneven film.
Brubaker has his work cut out for him. He essentially rolls up his sleeves, hires a new doctor, plants crops and has fresh food available for the inmates. This is all well and good until he must make an appearance at a prison board meeting (at the local Hilton) and answer the inevitable questions as to why improvements are even necessary. With selfish abandon, he alienates the board and decides to go to war against their corruption.
"Brubaker" boasts one of the finest supporting casts you are likely ever going to see. Yaphet Kotto, David Keith, Murray Hamilton, Jane Alexander, Tim McIntire, Matt Clark, Everett McGill, M. Emmet Walsh, Albert Salmi, Val Avery, Richard Ward (in his final role) and with an early performance by a singing Morgan Freeman to boot! Such expert casting raises the level of "Brubaker" several notches, and Kotto, as cynical inmate trustee Richard 'Dickie' Coombes, just about steals the film. Interestingly, he sees the futility of Brubaker's quest. He announces to him at one point, "You're going to get people killed!"
Stuart Rosenberg directed this film, and a token glance at his resume reveals the fine prison drama "Cool Hand Luke" in 1967. Reportedly Bob Rafelson ('Five Easy Pieces") was originally on board, and one wonders what his vision might have been. Abrupt changes in directors never help a production, and "Brubaker" suffers from an overall lack of character development. Rarely is there a scene of personal contemplation. We know very little about Brubaker's life, with the exception that he eats TV dinners and falls asleep on the couch. Redford's star persona is supposed to fill in the gaps, but it weakens the film's quality.
By the conclusion, Brubaker has discovered some unmarked prisoner graves, though his source is murdered in a very sad scene. Politicians wish this secret to be kept quiet, giving Brubaker negotiating power to receive the funds necessary to fulfill his reformation. His refusal to compromise seems short-sighted and egotistical. Men get killed, he gets rightfully fired, and by film's end the prison is returning to traditional ways.
There is really no way to have a happy ending for this story, though less formula would have better served its message. I couldn't help but recall the brilliant 1995 film "Dead Man Walking." It too was a cry for prisoner rights, but told from the viewpoint of multi-dimensional characters with disturbing flaws and anguish. "Brubaker" has the same message, 15 years before, though with contrivances injected to enhance traditional Hollywood flow.
Movie Review: Hpw can we bring prisons back within habeas corpus and human rights
Summary: 5 Stars
Another film, but in 1980 it was one of the first, on prison reform. The interest is in the fact that the new boss of the prison gets inside the prison as an inmate, unknown of everyone in the prison. So we get a first part that depicts, from inside, all the unethical dealings and purely criminal acts from the prison guards as well as from the inmates. Simple prisoners are the victims of all kinds of violence from the trustees, from the bullies and they have to buy their way through this permanent ordeal even from the doctor who sells his medical assistance, not to speak of the slave labor the prison provides to local contractors or businesses, entrepreneurs in a word that may turn into undertakers, and even the finagling and embezzling and trafficking of the prison guards with the food and anything that can be taken, legally or illegally, from the prisoners and sold at a price. The second part is the first dealings of the new boss with the problem and we discover even more scandalous crimes from inside the administration including the systematic torturing and killing of resisting inmates. The third part deals with the reaction of the prison board, the senator, the governor, and other officials when they learn what is happening, i.e. the attempt to open up the various chapters of this book of torture and killing. And then we discover some more embezzling and the will to cover it all up. They will eventually fire that resisting warden. We also discover in this third part that prison reformers are ready to accept any compromise, i.e. to cover up the crimes of all officials provided they get some investment for the prison, provided the truncheons get gilded points. The last scene is the emotional departure of the fired warden and a last written statement on what happened afterwards showing or proving the story was a true story. Of course the point of view of the inmates themselves is not explored, but the film is very effective about prison reform and what the minimum has to be: to give back to the inmates all their human rights lest they may go to court to fight for them, which is slightly romantic for us to believe that.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
Movie Review: UGH- BLAH-DOUBLE UGH !
Summary: 1 Stars
WHAT WAS REDFORD THINKING WHEN HE AGREED TO DO THIS PIECE OF KA-KA ?
AFTER THE FIRST TWENTY MINUTES, I THREW THIS CRAP INTO THE GARBAGE
WHERE IT BELONGS. CAN YOU GIVE MOVIE LESS THAN NO STARS ?
Movie Review: The best of Robert Redford
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a must see movie for all Robert Redford Fans. I promise you won't be you bought this movie. I recommend it as one of his best. This is an Adult movie of life in a prison and i wouldn't be letting anyone under age 15 watch it.Movie Review: Good Prison movie
Summary: 4 Stars
There are only a handful of good prison movies from what I have seen over forty plus years. "Shawshank Redemption", "Brubaker", and "Birdman of Alcatraz" are three of the best. I don't care about Redford's personal politics and therefore my review is not political unlike one rant here. The story is based on a true event, and the acting is superb. My wife asked me the other day if I had replaced my VHS of this with the DVD. I realized I hadn't and I was long overdo to see this again. I immediately ordered it. The movie is one of Redford's best so fans of his should definitely see it. If you aren't a fan, then see it because it is a good drama about what sometimes occurs in prisons whether those that work in that environment like it or not. Corruption happens in all systems so people in law enforcement should not take this movie as an insult, but merely as good drama loosely based on what really happened at a prison many years ago.