James Gregory, a South African man, chronicled his experiences as a soldier in a book about those the dark days of Apartheid, and its demise, when Nelson Mandela was freed after twenty seven years in prison. Bille August, the Danish film director decided to bring the story to the screen adapting the events that lead to the democratic government now in place.
As a young boy, James Gregory's best friend was a black lad who knew about the difference between the races at a moment when the ruling white minority ruled the country in ruthless fashion. James went on to become a soldier who is sent to Robben Island where a lot of political prisoners, among them, Nelson Mandela was being held. The reason he was sent to the island was his understanding of the Xhosa dialect. Because of his knowledge he was supposed to report anything to the higher ups as the job had him censuring the prisoners' correspondence.
At first James acts with complete disregard to the conditions in jail. A chance encounter with the star prisoner, made him reflect on what the dignified man himself, had to say. He is bowled over when he finds the manifesto that Mandela himself had written and was what was instrumental for landing him in jail. Gregory began to see how justice was applied to the blacks that were living in dismal conditions and forced to hard labor.
As James Gregory begins to get a clear picture of what really is going on, he begins to feel the rejection of his fellow soldiers. They see in James a traitor who is now a threat to their way of life. James Gregory gave away many secrets that resulted in the assassination of a lot of the blacks that were considered communist terrorists, something that he lived to regret throughout his life.
The film second half tells the story how two different men from such disparate backgrounds begin to respect one another as they bond because both see the real problem that have helped to create the racial injustice.
Joseph Fiennes is seen as James Gregory. He ages throughout the narrative, something that is not totally convincing, but one has to make concessions when the same actor is asked to do this type of role. Dennis Haysbert makes a dignified and serene Nelson Mandela with his commanding voice and getting the inflections of this leader's speech. Diane Kruger plays the long suffering Gloria who is brought up in a segregated society, not realizing the injustice being committed to the population at large.
As a young boy, James Gregory's best friend was a black lad who knew about the difference between the races at a moment when the ruling white minority ruled the country in ruthless fashion. James went on to become a soldier who is sent to Robben Island where a lot of political prisoners, among them, Nelson Mandela was being held. The reason he was sent to the island was his understanding of the Xhosa dialect. Because of his knowledge he was supposed to report anything to the higher ups as the job had him censuring the prisoners' correspondence.
At first James acts with complete disregard to the conditions in jail. A chance encounter with the star prisoner, made him reflect on what the dignified man himself, had to say. He is bowled over when he finds the manifesto that Mandela himself had written and was what was instrumental for landing him in jail. Gregory began to see how justice was applied to the blacks that were living in dismal conditions and forced to hard labor.
As James Gregory begins to get a clear picture of what really is going on, he begins to feel the rejection of his fellow soldiers. They see in James a traitor who is now a threat to their way of life. James Gregory gave away many secrets that resulted in the assassination of a lot of the blacks that were considered communist terrorists, something that he lived to regret throughout his life.
The film second half tells the story how two different men from such disparate backgrounds begin to respect one another as they bond because both see the real problem that have helped to create the racial injustice.
Joseph Fiennes is seen as James Gregory. He ages throughout the narrative, something that is not totally convincing, but one has to make concessions when the same actor is asked to do this type of role. Dennis Haysbert makes a dignified and serene Nelson Mandela with his commanding voice and getting the inflections of this leader's speech. Diane Kruger plays the long suffering Gloria who is brought up in a segregated society, not realizing the injustice being committed to the population at large.