Antwone Fisher

Review by Clint Morris

When you’ve had as many hits as Denzel Washington has, your power in Hollywood strengthens.

Your rate increases, your choices get wider, and your options elongate.

Washington’s making top dollars and has played just about every character there is to play, so it’s no surprise he’s taking up one of those other offered options, directing...

A sweet, but dominant drama, Antwone Fisher is safe terrain for the Oscar-wining actor in his first stint as director.

It is familiar storytelling down to the last minute: Distraught, terminally saddened youngster gets solace from an unlikely aid, a psychiatrist. Yes folks, it’s Good will Hunting all over again, but to this film’s merit, it’s based on a true story, so there’s no copy-catting going on.

Antwone Fisher (Derek Luke) is a young black man in the Navy, finding it hard to control his anger. His outbursts lead him to psychiatrist Jerome Davenport (Denzel Washington), who must determine whether Antwone is fit to continue serving his country.

Typically, Fisher has nothing to say at first, but pretty soon opens up to the shrink, telling him of his life of maltreatment, battering and abandonment from family.

Jerome becomes a substitute father to Antwone, whose natural male parent died before he was born. Antwone also finds solace in Cheryl (Joy Bryant), a long-time object of his affection. Together, they eventually set out to find the man’s lost parents.

Antwone Fisher is a movie all about performances. Denzel Washington, once again, proves himself a commanding screen actor with his sympathetic performance as the shrink with a heart of gold, and newcomer Derek Luke equals his superior with a heart-wrenching and very credible take on the character of Fisher.

Joy Bryant also shines in some of her moments with Luke, giving a believable love and connection to Fisher and girlfriend, Cheryl.

Ultimately, Washington’s film is a worthily trip, but one still can’t put out of his mind that we’ve seen this all before.

Thankfully, the latter half of the movie – where Fisher goes on a search for his parents – is something most of the comparable movies don’t delve into, so that’s a saving grace.

If you’ve a penchant for these ‘lost kid finds his way’ movies, the actor turned director has served up something good here. Well performed, highly poignant, nicely shot.

3.5 out of 5

Antwone Fisher
Australian release: Thursday March 13
Cast: Derek Luke, Denzel Washington, Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson, Stephen Snedden.
Director: Denzel Washington.
Website: Click here

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