disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

MOFFIE -- A Different Perspective on History

4/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Kai Luke Brummer as “Nicholas” in Oliver Hermanus’ MOFFIE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
There are a lot of films about Apartheid, and one has to wonder if the white perspective is the one that is the most important one to be heard. And while the movie does ignore the racial conflict that is central to the story, Oliver Hermanus’s Moffie still manages to be very compelling for what it is.

The film tells the story of a young gay man in Apartheid-era South Africa who struggles to hide his sexuality during his two years of compulsory military service. At times, it seems as if it is going to head down the white apologist path, exploring how a white man comes to terms with racism being bad, but for better or worse, the movie ends up basically ignoring Apartheid altogether.

It’s definitely off-putting to see a film about Apartheid that doesn’t really care about the Black South Africans who were the victims of some of the worst institutional discrimination of all time. As a movie about LGBTQ issues, Hermanus’s drama is very compelling, but it certainly feels like something is missing.

Admittedly, much of the drama that makes up the conflict of the film has been done before. There are a lot of movies about gay men in the service having to face the homophobia and toxic masculinity that largely defines the military, especially in those times. That said, the way in which it is depicted in this movie is still harrowing.
Picture
Kai Luke Brummer as “Nicholas” in Oliver Hermanus’ MOFFIE. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Yet even though the film is mostly conventional and fails to acknowledge the more important aspects of the situation, the brilliant character work by Hermanus and co-writer Jack Sidey really puts the movie above and beyond. Viewers will have no trouble connecting to the character and his struggle. 

Kai Luke Brummer’s lead performance is very strong. For his first major role, he manages to bring a lot of empathy and nuance to the character. Even when the film falls back on slightly more melodramatic tendencies, Brummer’s performance feels completely natural and believable.

In a visual sense, Hermanus does a good job of periodizing the movie. The main purpose here seems to be to capture the horrors that the protagonist is experiencing in a way that is engaging and harrowing. Because of this, much of Jamie Ramsay’s cinematography is done in a way that is dark and atmospheric.

Moffie may not be a groundbreaking film in terms of Apartheid dramas, but it is a solidly-made one nevertheless. Even though it doesn’t have the much-needed racial commentary, it’s a lot better than other historical dramas.

Moffie hits theaters and VOD on April 9.

Rating: 4/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About