Harriet movie review

MOVIE TITLE:   Harriet

RATING:  PG-13    (This is a “softer” version of slave history than Hollywood has pumped out in recent years.)

LENGTH: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

There has been a lot of debate about whether or not Harriet Tubman’s face should be on the $20 bill.  What do YOU think?  She was quite an extraordinary woman and you will learn a lot about her inspiring life in this dramatic biopic as the modern-day Moses; HOWEVER, viewers need to know that not everything in the film is historically accurate.

You WILL learn correct facts about her, such as she was the most successful conductor in the Underground Railroad.  During the Civil War, she became a spy for the Union Army. She led 150 soldiers in the Combabee River Raid, rescuing over 750 slaves.  She is one of the few women in U.S. history to lead an armed revolt.  She later remarried and continued to fight against the “monster called slavery.”  Her last words were, “I go to prepare a place for you”  (John 14:2).  You will be in awe as you watch a God-loving woman change lives and history.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Kids might be bored in the beginning, but they’ll learn a lot about slavery and U.S. History if they can keep watching.  It would be great if schools showed this movie and then talked about which parts were historically accurate, as well as slavery in general and what it takes to become a leader with so much determination.
• Use of the “N” word and other profanity
• You see slave owners abuse their slaves physically and emotionally.
• A woman gets beat to death and you see the violence and blood.  Other people are shot and die too.

THEMES:

• Trust God
• Family
• Determination
• Courage

THINGS I LIKED:

• How do you feel about a British actress playing this great, American heroine?  Apparently, there has been quite a lot of backlash about it.  It doesn’t bother me one bit.  Cynthia Erivo does an outstanding job.  She sings and has actually earned a Grammy!  Even more impressive is that she also has earned a TONY award AND an EMMY!  Wow!  Will she also be nominated and earn an Oscar?  And by the way, she has been cast to play legendary Aretha Franklin in an upcoming movie.  Wow.  And check out her biceps…just sayin… If you enjoy this movie, check out Cicely Tyson’s performance too as Harriet Tubman in A Woman Called Moses
• I liked that the movie didn’t portray Harriet as always being a strong, black, confident woman. It showed how frightened she was and how often she doubted her path and what God was doing with her life.  What makes her different from the rest of us who feel that way is that she never gave up.
• God and religion play a big role in the film, as well as in Harriet’s life.
• The song Stand Up (From Harriet) will be a hit!
• Harriet Tubman felt the same way many others have throughout history: Be free or die. Those of us who live in countries where freedom is enjoyed need to never take that for granted.  Let us never forget the price others have paid to live under such conditions.
• Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae are so elegant in their roles.
• I was inspired that Harriet didn’t simply enjoy her new-found freedom in Philadelphia, but felt compelled to return to danger in order to rescue her family and others so that they could be free too.
• I always appreciate it when slavery movies don’t make all of the bad guys white.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• The trailer made it look like the movie was going to have a lot more action.  Instead, it’s a bit sluggish.  Act 1 struggles to grab your attention, but by Act 3 you’re hooked.
• Joe Alwyn has been taking some hits because he isn’t as menacing or evil as some other slave owners were portrayed in movies, such as Leonardo DiCaprio’s over-the-top performance in Django Unchained.
• Director Kasi Lemmons chooses to tell the true story with a linear approach, something that makes the story easy to follow, yet possibly not as creative a decision as it could have been.
• Harriet Tubman actually did have dreams and visions.  Sometimes the moments that are shown come dangerously close to turning her into a superhero with powers.

INTERESTING LINES:

• “God was watching but my feet was my own.” – Harriet   (Cynthia Erivo)
• “Fear is  your enemy.” – Ben Ross    (Clarke Peters)
• “God don’t mean for people to own people.” – Harriet
• “You are so beyond any man I’ve ever met.  So far beyond.  What’s a man to a woman touched by God?” –   Marie Buchanon    (Janelle Monae)
• “It seems like you talk to God and He talks back.  Maybe you could introduce us.” – Walter   (Henry Hunter Hall)

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@TrinaBoice