Great method-acting piece, but shallow.

Rating: 5/10 (7 March 2011)

You have to be into rugby to get this film.
The ubiquitous revolutionary statesman Nelson Mandela is played by the equally ubiquitous Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman: Freeman does a surprisingly talented impersonation.
Damon is adept at a South African English accent and as I don't know the face or voice of the former rugby star, Damon's scenes (presumably impersonating Pienaar) required less suspension of disbelief from me than those scenes involving Freeman's Mandela.
On the plus side, the production values are good and the match scenes would appeal to anyone who is into rugby.
The more serious down-side of the film is the obvious side-lining of deeper social problems that play out even today. Even the ostensibly science-fiction film 'District 9' cuts deeper.
Sadly, not everything in the world is solved by sport.
Simplistic and sometimes awkward... but great production values.