Continuing my trend of shockingly topical movies that were added years before they became relevant, here's one about overcoming a legacy of hatred and bigotry. Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) is a young, hotshot South African attorney when he is approached by representatives of the African National Congress. At first dismissive of their cause, Mandela becomes their most recognized spokesman, and eventually is jailed. From behind bars, Mandela advocates for equal representation while his wife, Winnie (Naomie Harris), becomes increasingly radicalized.
This was very much a Cliff Notes biopic. You better have already known the basics of Mandela's politics or you'll be pretty much at a loss to understand why anything he did was relevant. The movie makes a lot of him as a person, not as a symbol, while somehow reducing even that to a caricature. The most exciting person in this film is Winnie, who doesn't get nearly enough screen time. Her character arc was fascinating and would have made an excellent feature. Elba is a wonderful performer but I think the script let him down here.
The U2 song over the end credits, "Ordinary Love," was the only Oscar nomination for the film and won the Golden Globe in that category. It's okay, but like this film, not the best.
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