Bopha! (1993)

Directed by Morgan Freeman. Starring Danny Glover, Malcolm McDowell, Alfre Woodard, Maynard Eziashi, Marius Weyers, Malick Bowens, Christopher John Hall, Grace Mahlaba, Michael Chinyamurindi, Robin Smith. [PG-13]

Agitated apartheid-era drama set in rural South Africa. Glover is a black police sergeant with a son (Eziashi) that he’s grooming to join him in the SAP, but the son is uncertain, eventually joining student protesters in illegal demonstrations that put him at odds with his father and a visiting Special Branch officer (McDowell) who has seized authority and believes in hard-line “justice” (to say nothing for the murder of detainees that are then poorly covered up as suicides). We’ve been here plenty of times before, so don’t come looking for surprises, but at least the perspective is a little fresher—most of these kinds of incisive South African political exposés are told through the point of view of its white characters. Glover’s accent is wobbly, but his dramatic focus is effectual; as his wife, Woodard does solid work until she’s directed into a frenzy during the final act. Tract that encourages indignation, to be sure, but that’s par for the course. For those interested in more of this kind of thing starring Glover and Woodard, they also played Nelson and Winnie Mandela in Mandela from 1987. Freeman’s directorial debut; Arsenio Hall executive produced.

66/100