A Dry White Season (1989)

Nominated for 1 Academy Award:

Best Supporting Actor: Marlon Brando

 

A Dry White Season is not so much remembered as a great artistic achievement, as it is for the historical context it was released in. It’s an anti-Apartheid movie, based on a novel inspired by the Soweto uprising from South Africa, 1976. The novel was banned in South Africa and so was this movie. From this perspective, it’s a daring film with a clear message that you can’t help but admire, especially as such policies were still in effect.

As a movie experience, though, the film fails in many aspects: it’s not particularly well directed, some of the performances are underwhelming and Donald Sutherland, playing the lead, doesn’t get an exciting character to dive into and to carry the film. Marlon Brando was nominated for a rather short performance, I kept waiting for him to come back on screen. He does add value to the film, but it’s not an awards-worthy performance.

 

I give it: 6.5/10

IMDB LINK