The Bottom Line
Although the treatment of this inspiring story is somewhat formulaic, I found it very emotionally involving. This earnest and heartwarming film brought tears to my eyes.
Pros
- Emotionally involving
- Derek Luke and Denzel Washington are charismatic
- Earnest, heartwarming, and inspiring
Cons
- Too tidy to feel realistic
- Some may find overly sentimentalized
- Formulaic
Description
- DVD containing movie “Antwone Fisher” (2002)
- Based on a true story
- Film directed by Denzel Washington, who also plays a supporting role
- Movie stars newcomer Derek Luke in title role
- DVD provides feature-length commentary by Denzel Washington and producer
- DVD has featurettes: behind the scenes, the real-life Antwone Fisher, and on the U.S. Navy
- Excellent picture quality
- Excellent sound quality
- DVD release date: May 20, 2003
Guide Review - "Antwone Fisher" DVD Review
This earnest, heartwarming, and inspiring film brought tears to my eyes. Antwone Fisher (Luke), a troubled young sailor in the U.S. Navy, is ordered to see psychiatrist Dr. Jerome Davenport (Washington). Davenport and Fisher gradually make progress, and along the way, Fisher begins to date a nice woman named Cheryl (Joy Bryant). Eventually, Davenport advises Fisher he must come to terms with his past, and Fisher sets off on a journey to do just that. This movie is based on a true story, but I’ll admit that the formulaic Hollywood treatment of some of the material made it feel too tidy to be realistic. Still, I liked the location shooting in California and Ohio, and I was surprised at how emotionally involving this movie was.
