I wish I could have so much love in my heart.

Rating: 8/10 (20 June 2001)

The Mission, 1986, written by Robert Bolt, directed by Roland Joffe.
Wow. Powerful, yes, but not heavy handed. It's a shame that excellent writing like this is so rare in movies. Or maybe it's just rare in general. I didn't find myself focusing on the writing. That's because it was so good that random clever or "deep" or "profound" dialogue didn't stick out. I was never pulled (or is it pushed?) out of the story by the writer's ego. Damn this was good.
A summary of the story can be read elsewhere, so I'll just tell you how this film touched my heart. It reminded me that love takes many forms. So does courage. Redemption is gained through both. And it sure isn't easy.
Solid, subtle performances, beautiful photography, a wonderful Morricone score and a deeply moving story combined to make one incredible movie. I've run out of adjectives! I'm glad to have finally seen it after all these years.