Call the Cops, This Movie Was Robbed...

Rating: 10/10 (20 March 2016)

The fact that Beasts of No Nation, Abraham Attah, and Idris Elba weren't even *nominated* for Oscars is criminal. This was a moving story that shines a light on the sort of things going on with child soldiers in Africa. While set in an unnamed fictional African country with fictional characters, it clearly draws inspiration from the fighting in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In fact, at one point, Commandant call a soldier "SBU," possibly a reference to the "Small Boys Unit," a child soldier unit of the Revolutionary United Front militants who fought in Sierra Leone. Commandant also has similarities to Joseph Kony of the Lord's Resistance Army.
While Idris Elba is the big name and was extremely convincing as Commandant, it's Abraham Attah as Agu who stole the show. Attah's strong and nuanced performance, particularly in light of the emotionally difficult material, was mesmerizing. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of him in the future.
To the Academy, shame on you for overlooking this movie and its performers, particularly Attah and Elba!