Naval
Seaman Antwone Fisher (Luke) has anger problems. The
smallest infraction sets him off. In fact, his commanding
officer (James Brolin) wants him out of the Navy. Regulations
require he get the young man psychologically evaluated, however,
and wait on the recommendations from the shrink before making
that decision.
Officer
Jerome Davenport (Washington) isn’t sure what to make of
Fisher. The young seaman has a rage burning inside of him built
from years of long buried trauma. But how best to get it out?
Davenport only has three sessions to get the kid to open up to
him and then make a recommendation in regards to his future in
the Navy. Is that enough time?
Washington
makes his directorial debut with Antwone Fisher, a
fact-based biography that deftly pulls the heartstrings.
Granted, it covers no new ground that other psychiatrist/patient
films haven’t gone before. In fact, Washington stages a few of
the early scenes as if he lifted them directly from Gus Van
Sant’s Good Will Hunting.
But the
pieces of Antwone Fisher add up. Even if the road it
travels is a familiar one, I was genuinely moved by this tale of
a young man at war with himself. Washington the director finds
his voice early and after one or two missteps the movie travels
briskly to a wonderfully sublime finale. It helps that Fisher’s
story is a harrowing one; the son of a father murdered by his
mother, born in prison, fostered to an abusive home, raped when
he was six; this is all heavy material and weighty baggage to be
sure.
Newcomer
Luke ably carries the film on his expressive shoulders. Fisher’s
many emotions and rages are a balancing act require the most of
any actor, the fact that he is able to hit all the nuances
perfectly in his first role is astounding. This is easily one of
the year’s best performances and I only hope the standard Luke
sets he can translate to future projects.
The
supporting cast is also uniformly excellent. Washington gives
himself the type of character he plays best, the flawed
everyman. Davenport's as much in need as Fisher, only he doesn’t
realize it until the conflicted seaman enters his office and
life. Joy Bryant, Viola Davis and Salli Richardson also shine,
playing beautifully off of Luke.
In the
end, Antwone Fisher truly doesn’t take off and become
something special until its wondrous third act as the young man
sets out to find his family. Searching for answers, but mostly
looking to forgive, Fisher looks to slay the demons tormenting
his soul. To say that he succeeds isn’t giving anything away –
this is an uplifting biopic after all – but to reveal what else
he finds would be criminal. Let me just say, have those tissues
handy. I sure as heck needed them.
