MovieChat Forums > The Hurricane (2000) Discussion > Despite All It's Inaccuracies..Still One...

Despite All It's Inaccuracies..Still One Great Biopic...

posted 9 years ago by MovieHoliks
6 replies | jump to latest

I saw this movie back in early 2000, shortly after it came out, and remembered some controversy surrounding the inaccuracies with the film. I liked the movie, but only in recent years going back and watching it again did I realize just what a great film this is- in spite of the falsehoods used.

Two-time Academy award winner, Denzel Washington, gives one of his finest performances as middleweight champion Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, who was twice convicted of a triple homicide in the 1960s, and spent almost twenty years in prison before finally having his conviction overturned. Washington is so great in the role, especially at times you can see the vulnerability of the character- just amazing work! And a special shout out to young actor Vicellous Reon Shannon (who was great in the HBO film "Dancing In September") as Lazarus, the young man who befriends Carter after reading his autobiography, and later helps out with his case. This movie was partially based on the book "Lazarus and the Hurricane".

I've looked into the real facts of the case- such as that supposed racist cop played by Nick Tortelli (or Dan Hedaya rather LOL), who turns out there was never such evidence with his character- and the facts maybe even supporting that Carter was in fact guilty-?? I see this as one of two things. After he got out of prison I know he became an advocate for seeking the release of those wrongly imprisoned, so either he was innocent or he was guilty and maybe redeemed himself a little bit-?? (that's after the 20 years in prison too). And as film critic Roger Ebert put it- sometimes you get at the heart of the "dramatic truth"- if you want the exact literal truth, you watch a documentary. Norman Jewison directed this film, who was actually the original director of "Malcolm X" before Spike Lee's involvement, and had directed Washington previously in "A Soldier's Story". David Paymer, Rod Steiger, Liev Schreiber and Deborah Kara Unger round out the cast.

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[–] sage2112 8 years ago

Hmm I dunno. I kinda don't see how it can be a great biopic once one acknowledges its inaccuracies. I had a feeling before I saw the film (for some reason) that some sort of solid modern DNA test or something was used to help set him free.

There was certainly some great acting in the film. And maybe that's what you mainly mean when saying it's a great biopic.

[–] MovieHoliks 8 years ago

Okay; maybe saying it's an overall great movie instead of great biopic would be a better statement-?? I used biopic to describe it's genre. But going along with the late film critic, Roger Ebert's statement about this movie and others that aren't the most accurate: sometimes a film can get to the dramatic truth, without having it's literal truth...

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[–] fred1239 8 years ago

Basically the movie itself was well acted, great cast and the story was well written despite it not being 100% accurate to the real life events.

[–] soonerschooner 8 years ago

There is no excuse for blatant propaganda. None.

The Constitution guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome.

[–] GIRobotII 8 years ago

That could not have been better said, soonerschooner. It is one thing to have inaccuracies. It is another to deliberately distort and lie. And this film lied all over the place. They didn't even interview the other people involved, they mostly only took Carter's word for it.

[–] 8 years ago

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