It's obvious from the time that the British Peter Keith is a child in South Africa that he will be a fighter for what is right as opposed to what he has been taught. A black nanny whose son is his childhood best friend, a black mentor (Morgan Freeman) who teaches him how to fight and various black friends he makes while in college show him the truth, and see the truth from within him. He fakes prejudice simply to fool racist law enforcers, and ultimately, he's one of the champions in the fight against apartheid.
The character of Peter is seen in three stages of his life with three different actors narrating and acting out those periods. Ultimately, it is Stephen Dorff who plays Peter in young adulthood, his friendship with Gideon Duma (Alois Moyo) one of true brotherhood, touching in its sincerity, and giving Peter the courage to continue to fight. Old enemies, the father of the young lady he loves and a society bent on control and destruction are the obstacles he must face.
Tom Sizemore as the older childhood bully is a Dutch South African whose Nazi past remains heavy in his evil soul as he fights to keep apartheid as the wave of control. Having done some vile things to the defenseless young Peter will stir hatred to this character throughout the film. Armin Mueller-Stahl, John Gielgud, Brian O'Shaughnessy and Marius Weyers are other memorable actors who pop in and out of Peter's story.
This is an ambitious film, proudly directed by John Avieldsen, that while enlightening flows from one incident to another and seems to drag in trying to meld all the pieces together. It is certainly a good looking film and has a glorious musical score by Hans Zimmer, but there are too many situational issues that don't always gel. Individual performances are great, and the three actors playing Peter in the three different stages do seem like one life. It's one of those potential masterpieces that just didn't fully work, and that's a bit of a sad let down.
The character of Peter is seen in three stages of his life with three different actors narrating and acting out those periods. Ultimately, it is Stephen Dorff who plays Peter in young adulthood, his friendship with Gideon Duma (Alois Moyo) one of true brotherhood, touching in its sincerity, and giving Peter the courage to continue to fight. Old enemies, the father of the young lady he loves and a society bent on control and destruction are the obstacles he must face.
Tom Sizemore as the older childhood bully is a Dutch South African whose Nazi past remains heavy in his evil soul as he fights to keep apartheid as the wave of control. Having done some vile things to the defenseless young Peter will stir hatred to this character throughout the film. Armin Mueller-Stahl, John Gielgud, Brian O'Shaughnessy and Marius Weyers are other memorable actors who pop in and out of Peter's story.
This is an ambitious film, proudly directed by John Avieldsen, that while enlightening flows from one incident to another and seems to drag in trying to meld all the pieces together. It is certainly a good looking film and has a glorious musical score by Hans Zimmer, but there are too many situational issues that don't always gel. Individual performances are great, and the three actors playing Peter in the three different stages do seem like one life. It's one of those potential masterpieces that just didn't fully work, and that's a bit of a sad let down.