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

Rating: 9/10 (28 July 2015)

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.