Invictus

People generally agree that Nelson Mandela is one of the world’s most inspiring human beings. His ability to forgive his captors after spending almost a third of his life behind bars is simply amazing and probably beyond the ability of most mortals. To attempt a film of his entire life would be a feat beyond imagination, and so perhaps this is why Eastwood chose a rather particular and seemingly confined event as the focus of his film. It serves beautifully as a microcosm of Mandela’s overall views of life, politics, humanity, compassion and so much more. Because the Springboks were a team beloved of the white South Africans, when Apartheid ended the blacks desperately wanted the name of the team to be changed. Mandela was smart enough to realise that that was a politically unwise thing to do and he convinced his fellow black South Africans that it was in everyone’s interest to keep the name and to use the team as a symbol not of hatred but of national unity and reconciliation. As he says in the film, “The rainbow nation starts here. Reconciliation starts here.  Forgiveness starts here.”

So much of this film is about the inspirational wisdom, forgiveness and compassion displayed by Mandela. So much of it is also about rugby!! Now, I loathe rugby but found myself so engaged by this story that every match and every goal had me spellbound. In fact the sporting scenes are amongst the best I’ve ever seen on film. The tension and emotion wrung from every scrum and goal is remarkable and that is testament to Eastwood’s fine directorial skills.

Sizable credit must also go to Morgan Freeman, who seems born to play Mandela (when asked years ago who he would like to portray him in a film, Mandela named Freeman). Matt Damon just gets better with each film. Here he trained and bulked up for the role of the stocky team captain, and he also sports a highly convincing South African accent. The initial distrust that eventually grows into friendship between the two men is beautifully handled, as is every support role, although it almost feels like a two-hander, so dominating are the two leads. Mandela’s security team, both blacks and whites, is also a treat to watch, as their initial hostility and suspicion also mellows to something approaching amity. The broader South African picture is never lost in sporting patriotism, as throughout there are cleverly woven scenes of shanty-town dwellers watching the events and of the Springboks coaching kids in these poor areas. There’s also a moving episode in which Pienaar goes to visit the cell in which Mandela spent his captive years.

Filming in South Africa where the events took place, along with excellent South African music (supported by a lovely Kyle Eastwood score), also adds depth, but it is the overwhelming heart of this film that got to me. At moments the emotion runs so high I questioned whether it was consciously manipulated by Eastwood but overall my heart was filled with so much inspiration I was moved to tears in many of the scenes. Yes, I would have liked more background to Mandela’s politics but this is a fine film that makes you dare to hope that there could be a better world, if only more people were attuned to this great man's kind of humanitarian philosophy.

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