Brubaker

Prison movies are a staple genre in popular cinema, because they treat universal themes, especially crime and punishment, which are the basis of the whole concept of justice, and because of the potential of dramatic richness of incarcerated people each having a story to tell.

«Brubaker» is no exception to this rule, but it has another perspective on it, Henry Brubaker (Robert Redford) is the newly appointed director of the Wakefild prison in Ohio, because of some electoral promise the governor had made, reforming prisons has always been a shiny campaign slogan, rarely applied in reality, but Brubaker has another view on this matter, he is a criminologist, and an idealist, he is here to change things, and does not believe in half measures.

Wakefield being a sort of a modern medieval dungeon, only a notch above a slaves farm, where inmates starve, are tortured, and are subject to many abuses, while people outside the prison are making some sweet benefits, Bruback's attitude ends up irritating more then one, and finally brining him the wrath of the very people who employed him in the first place, who used him as a vehicle of a PR endeavour, and who see the prison in terms of profit, politicians the true scum of the universe.

This movie is a true hidden gem of the genre, I remember saying that Redford was the Brad Pitt of his time, in fact he is superior, there is a sort of integrity in the way he plays his parts, and a sort of a hidden charm beyond looks, this is a gift that cannot be acquired, and the mid career Redford here masters it like a second nature.

The cinematography is adequate to the theme, the supporting actors are good, especially Miss Gray (Jane Alexander) the person who recruited Brubaker and who supports him to the end, and also Morgan Freeman in a short but a memorable performance, the sheer of the last scene will give you a chill up your spine, it's superior to the usual tear jerker where many auteurs are niched usually, It's a true reflection on how a sparrow can bring the spring if it's the right one

Surely one hidden gem of the genre, it has Redford on top of his game, also a special nod to the script by W.D. Richter (screenplay/story) and Arthur A. Ross (story)., which has a lot of humanity and smarts in it, inmates are in because they committed crimes they generally regret, the true criminals are the people in suits and women suits with their camera ready shiny smiles, but then again they are incarcerated inside their mediocrity and hypocrisy, and there is no shabbier prison then this one.

Year: 1980
Director: Stuart Rosenberg
Starring: Robert Redford, Jane Alexander, Yaphet Kotto, Everett McGill