Review: Redemption

Lynn Whitfield plays real-life writer Barbara Becnel who when writing a book about ghettos and gangs approaches one Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams (Jamie Foxx), founder of the Crips street gang. ‘Tookie’ is on death row for killing four people in 1981. What Becnel finds is a thoughtful and intelligent man who will not admit to the crimes he was convicted for, but who will eventually write several popular anti-gang books for kids. He even became a Nobel Prize nominee!

 

This 2004 Vondie Curtis-Hall (yeah, the actor who went on to direct “Glitter”) biopic is somewhat formulaic, clearly biased in favour of the late Williams, and lacking in details about just what he did to get where he was. If you can accept it for what it is, it’s a fairly interesting and persuasive experience. Most of the credit must go to Jamie Foxx (in the same year he won an Oscar for “Ray” and a nomination for his equally impressive supporting turn in “Collateral”) who, in a somewhat introspective, low-key turn shows his obvious talent. He’s excellent, and the underrated Whitfield does what she can with a fairly stock standard role. Weird cameo by CCH Pounder as Winnie Mandela. Not sure what the hell that was all about, or if it was indeed true to life. Even if it was true, it doesn’t play convincingly.

 

If you’re pro capital punishment you might want to skip it, but I found ‘Tookie’ an interesting guy, and at least as presented in this film, perhaps a life that was worth saving. However, the film has an obvious bias, so take it with a grain or two of salt. At any rate, the film isn’t boring.

 

Rating: B-

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