Sports can create and/or strengthen unity

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2013)

Usually I am not much into sports and related movies, but certain directors and actors make an exception. Clint Eastwood is definitely one of them; I happened to see his Trouble With the Curve first and I was sure that focusing on genuine sports battle would not be the main theme here either. And it was so: the main topic is how rugby had its part in creating inter-racial confidence in South Africa right after abolishment of apartheid, and what was the role of South African President Nelson Mandela and the captain of the South Africa rugby union team (Springboks) François Pienaar -- played by Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, respectively (and giftedly). The scenes - based on real events and a strong book - run smoothly, the choice of background music is just to the point, and viewers get a versatile picture of one of the 20th century greatest statesman whose desire and aim was to create a "all-inclusive" society, without punishing those who just were ordinary employees and workers during the previous segregated system (different from the case with socialist leaders who mostly deprived, deported or killed most "carriers" of previous social order). Of course, Mandela was highly educated and lettered, not like e.g. Stalin or Mao Zedong...
Invictus is a nice movie, providing additional and realistic knowledge of life in South Africa in the 1990ies, and encourages to use popular activities/games/sports etc. in leveling confrontations.