Rating: 
Summary: A good road map to being a black man in today's society.
Review: "A Lesson Before Dying," is a masterpiece within itself. Don Cheadle is a riveting "Grant," and Mekhi Pfifer gives and unforgettable performance in the role of "Jefferson." Well known actresses, Cicely Tyson and Irma P. Hall render command performances. The internal struggle and conflict of Grant comes through in the lives of those around him. His task was to make Jefferson a man, but in the process he became a man himself. Tante' Lou, Miss Emma, and Rev. Ambrose uses Grant to do things that they could not do. Eventhough Grant was educated - formally, he did not have the motherwit and earthly education he needed to be a well rounded man. Vivian, who kept Grant well rooted, is a very unique woman with a lot of "quality." Her quality shined in the lives of others. When Tante' Lou and Miss Emma met her, they were "cold" towards her at first, but her quality came through and she was accepted. This movie captured all emotions: love, hate, confusion, and pride. No, Jefferson, was not a hog, but a man, and in the end he proved that to himself and to his family. Grant finally realized what his purpose was and he began his life like the man he was suppose to be and not how society wanted him to be.
Rating: 
Summary: Hog of a story
Review: During the first half of the 20'th century (and before) there were many injustices perpetrated against the negro. Those stories need to be told and understood. This movie tries to tell such a story but failed because it ignored the historical realities. I lived in a place much like the one in the movie in the 50's and was overwhelmed with the liberties the movie took with "the way it was."
First, had anybody white or black been caught with their hands in a cash register with 3 dead people around, they'd have been sentenced to die.
Second, the black people in those days were very poor. There were also poor whites. In the movie, these poor blacks wore cloths from Norstrom's! Not the way I remember it.
THird, there were some powerful white landowners that might have behaved as depicted in the movie. However, I often heard stories of charitable acts to the poor blacks. My father, who owned a grocery stroe, gave them food at Christmas. He forgave numerous blacks when he caught them red handed shop lifting. The cruelty and arrogance of the whites in the movie do not reconcile with my memories. Although I will readily admit such folks existed.
My grandparents had about 20 blacks that worked for them. My mother's nanny was black. I would characterize the relationship as one first of employer-employee, and second as one of affection. My grandmother, and I saw this many times, would be more of a supervisor not a bourbon drinking white ninny. I think my grandmother was more represntative of the way it was than the white woman in the movie. My mother and father tell stories of working right along with the blacks picking cotton.
Fourth, the blacks had a heavy and difficult to understand accent. Living in the west, I often am asked to repeat soemthing I said with my sourthern accent. Similarly, in the south, then negro at that time had a very strong accent...more of a dialect. The movie has them speaking the King's English with a fake accent.
Fifth, the dirt roads in those times were more like two tracks with pot holes, not well manicured packed gravel paths like you would see in a park today.
Again, I truely believe there have been many injustices against the negro. It is unfortunate that this movie could be more historically accurate so that those of us who lived in that era and that location could not be repulsed by the deviations from the truth and more moved by the fundamental stroy.
Rating:
Summary: Deals With Issues Much Deeper That Skin Color
Review: I missed the first few minutes of this film, so I watched the rest not knowing if the convicted man was guilty. By the end of the film, it was no longer an issue...
The same appeared to happen with the racial issues presented. The open demoralizing of the blacks (by the whites) was soon overshadowed by the more personal issues of spirituality and self-esteem. One of Cheadle's finer performances, in my opinion, with equally impressive supporting performances. This is a wonderful film, with a "Lesson" or two for us all.
Rating:
Summary: The best movie about raceism in the south.
Review: I saw this movie on HBO and I'm now reading it in my English class...watching the movie has helped me understand the book alot. This is also one of the first movies that is excatly like the book. I felt like crying after I saw this movie. Great for all ages.
Rating:
Summary: The best movie about raceism in the south.
Review: I saw this movie on HBO and I'm now reading it in my English class...watching the movie has helped me understand the book alot. This is also one of the first movies that is excatly like the book. I felt like crying after I saw this movie. Great for all ages.
Rating:
Summary: Dreadful PC Propaganda
Review: I'm a huge Don Cheadle fan, but this film is unworthy of him. [People] who claim that it's a story about racism either don't understand the film or don't understand racism. Basically, here's the plot: The character played by Mekhi Pfeiffer is an unwitting accomplice in a botched armed robbery that leaves three people dying on the floor of a grocery store. Rather than summon help for the others, all Pfeiffer can think to do is help himself to the money in the cash register. He is caught, and in the ensuing trial the prosecutor calls him an animal because of his depraved indifference to human life. That is supposed to be the psychological turning point in the film, because Pfeiffer's family insists on proving that he's no animal and can take his punishment -- in this case, death -- with his head held high. Yeah, right. Guess what? He is an animal, and if the story had involved all-black or all-white characters, racism wouldn't be an issue. A more compelling question: if Pfeiffer's family was so concerned with his "dignity," why didn't they teach him moral values in the first place?
Rating:
Summary: Faithful to the book
Review: This movie faithfully captures the essence of the book and brings it to life. When I read the book I just loved it. Shortly after I finished reading the book, I found out that HBO was going to show the movie, but I didn't have HBO. So when I saw that it had come out on DVD, I knew I had to buy it. When I got it, I popped it in right away and WOW, I was pleasantly surprised. It followed the book very well and wasn't "Hollywood-ized". I warn that this movie isn't very action-packed, but it's a great intriguing drama. I recommend it to anyone looking to see an intelligent, well-made movie.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This movie is great. It had me crying at the end. It is so lovely how the guy faces his execution even though he knows that he didn't commit any crime.
Rating:
Summary: Very good movie, grab a box of tissues.
Review: This movie was excellent, very sad but realistic about racism and how African Americans were not treated equally in the South. A great line from the movie that sums up the entire film is "when a white man dies, a black man has to pay for it", in summary. No matter who is actually guilty, whether there's proof or not, a black man must die. I don't think I'd want to see this movie again because it was very, very sad, but powerful. A great movie and I'm glad I watched it.
Rating:
Summary: Very good movie, grab a box of tissues.
Review: This movie was excellent, very sad but realistic about racism and how African Americans were not treated equally in the South. A great line from the movie that sums up the entire film is "when a white man dies, a black man has to pay for it", in summary. No matter who is actually guilty, whether there's proof or not, a black man must die. I don't think I'd want to see this movie again because it was very, very sad, but powerful. A great movie and I'm glad I watched it.
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