Harriet (2019)

[LWFS]

The first film in six years by always-interesting writer-director Kasi Lemmons (Underrated and unsettling Eve's Bayou, sideways mystery The Caveman's Valentine). Also, somehow it's the first damn feature about Harriet Tubman!



YoungerPooper and I made a dad-daughter date of this last Friday night. In the words of the old me-go spiritual... oh, Lord, I got thoughts. But first... anyone else going Underground?

[Edgy MD]

=LWFS post_id=26645 time=1573868667 user_id=84]Also, somehow it's the first damn feature about Harriet Tubman!

[LWFS]

I'm a big Drunk History afficionado, myself... and I think I preferred the Octavia Spencer version of this story.



The one we paid to see was solid and earnest... but REALLY earnest, and contrived in spots (there's some... singing which may or may not be diagetic). Liked the Cynthia Erivo main performance a LOT; she wrings genuine emotion from the audience without emoting. Both YoungerPooper and I came away disappointed that they didn't include more of her action-hero third act (Civil War spy/raid leader). Basically, it's dignified, and it'll play in classrooms. Which is... something less than what we were hoping for.

[Edgy MD]

So, I'm at Metacritic now, and I'm torn between the inclinations of Lubis and lps25, who I'm certain are the most reliable reviewers out there. Which one are you closest to?



https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/screen-shot-2019-11-16-at-11.12.15-am.png>



https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/screen-shot-2019-11-16-at-11.12.40-am.png>

[LWFS]

Y'all yell "YAAAS" or "NAW," I'm all like "Eh, MAYbe"

Say I'm splitting the uprights like my name was Pat Leahy



I feel like these people are reviewing something other than the movie we're talking about.

[Vic Sage]

looks like an ABC after-school special.

pass.

[Frayed Knot]

That was my impression as well.

[Edgy MD]

I get the idea that bowdlerized black history has become something of a marketable sub-genre.