In My Country Movie Review 2004

High-minded, well-intentioned, and oh-so-serious neocolonial drama. Based on the memoir "Country of My Skull" by Afrikaans poet Antjie Krog, a personal account of the 1996 Truth and Reconciliation Commission, investigating human rights abuses under apartheid. Washington Post reporter Langston Whitfield (Jackson) covers the hearings and meets poet/journalist Anna Malan (Binoche), who's doing daily radio broadcasts about the event. They each have their prejudices; they argue and, no surprise, find romance. The strongest moments are actually between Whitfield and his interviewee, Col. De Jager (Gleeson), a brutal cop who tries to explain his actions. Binoche seems merely bewildered.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on DVD
Running time 100 minutes.
Originally from United States, British, Irish.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Africa, Politics, Apartheid, Interracial Affairs, Adultery, Front Page

Screenplay

Ann Peacock

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson, Juliette Binoche, Brendan Gleeson, Menzi "Ngubs" Ngubane, Sam Ngakane, Aletta Bezuidenhout, Lionel Newton, Langley Kirkwood, Owen Sejake, Harriet Manamela, Louis Van Niekirk, Jeremiah Ndlovu, Fiona Ramsay, Charley Boorman

Cinematography

Seamus Deasy

Director

John Boorman

Other

Tom Johnson, John Fitzgerald, Philip King, Ron Davis, Emelia Roux-Weavind, Jo Katsaras, Derek Wallace

Producer

Robert Chartoff, Mike Medavoy, John Boorman, Lynn Hendee, Studio Eight, Country Merlin, Sony Pictures Classics