Reviewed by: Mike Allard
CONTRIBUTOR
Moral Rating: | Average |
Moviemaking Quality: |
|
Primary Audience: | Adults |
Genre: | Drama |
Length: | 2 hr. 12 min. |
Year of Release: | 1980 |
USA Release: |
Featuring | Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander, Murray Hamilton, David Keith |
Director |
Stuart Rosenberg |
Producer | Ted Mann, Ron Silverman |
Distributor |
20th Century Studios, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company |
“Brubaker” is without a doubt a powerful movie. Robert Redfort delivers as he plays a reform warden, Henry Brubaker, who infiltrates a prison by entering it as a new prisoner. He learns a lot about the inside turmoils of a rural prison farm—the way things really are at Wakefield.
“Brubaker” is one of those classic “the more you dig the more dirt you uncover” stories with good performances and a pace that keeps you drawn into it.
Although there is some mild language and a few instances of the Lord’s name in vain, it’s not over-the-top for a film of this genre (considering the setting) with plenty of corruption inside and out.
The message of this film seems to be that, although you may be a prisoner—a criminal—and have shown lack of respect for yourself and others, you still do matter and are important.
The scene at “Brubaker’s” conclusion is the most powerful of all. Redford gives an outstanding performance. Recommended for mature audiences 18 and above.
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