Invictus
 

Wanted to give a bit of a shout for this movie - if you ever wanted to find out a little more about South Africa just after the end of apartheid and/or wanted to see a decent sports movie (with a focus on rugby) - it's worth catching. The book is better, but the film is worth your $12.

The movie just opened here in South Africa last week. I'm thinking of going to see it tonight.

Apparently Nelson Mandela chose Freeman to play him. What an honour.

Lots of locals dont like the idea of this movie - I think because the Hansie movie failed so hard.

That and people are overly sensitive about race issues. Even when I went to see District 9 I could sense people were uncomfortable. A bit too close to home, which I felt was good. These things need to come to the surface and be discussed.

I had heard there was concern in SA that two Americans - Freeman and Damon - were chosen for the lead roles. I think Freeman did very well and was appropriate, but Damon is really too old to play Pienaar - although he did bulk up for the role - and didn't add too much to the role other than his name.

Saw it this past Saturday night. I have to say, while it didn't sweepingly stun me, I found it to be a very solid film, well-made and well-performed. Matt Damon may not have been used to his best, but he is really a fairly dependable actor, and I thought his performance was fine. Freeman as Mandela was superb. There was such a spirit of the man in him, it took my breath away. His screen-time is worth the whole price of entry, IMO.