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Cast: John Malkovich, Jessica Haines, Eriq Ebouaney, Fiona Press, Paula Arundell, Scott Cooper, Monroe Reimers, Charles Tertiens
After an imprudent affair with a student, Cape Town professor David Lurie flees to his daughter's remote farm to escape the scandal, only to find tragedy when a trio of black youths brutally assaults them. But Lurie is forced to face apartheid's lasting repercussions when he discovers that one of the attackers is related to a trusted employee.
Disgrace is a powerful film that stays in your head long after it is over, sadly there is no real answers by the time the film ends but you are left with a a lot of feelings about the events you just witnessed. John Malkovich is a terrific actor that doesn't seem to get enough work if you ask me, he is again magnificent here as the college professor who after having an affair with a student gets fired from his job and decides to pack it up and head to South Africa to stay with his daughter until he decides what his next move is. David is not a very nice man and he seems he think he can do no wrong regardless of his actions but for some odd reason you sort of feel for him knowing that what he did and how self-righteous he is. The way the story depicts modern South Africa and the way violence rules is a sad and often scary one, I have never been to Africa but if it is anything like what is shown in this film I never want to go there either. To talk a lot about what unfolds in the story would only spoil the drama that awaits you and I certainly don't want that to happen. It is amazing yet sad the way the people deal with the violence and simply move on from it as if nothing happened, in fact I found it to be a bit disturbing as well but I suppose there are many willing to stay and live out their lives there regardless of what is happening around them. David's time spent there and the tragic event that occurs while he is there is an eye opening experience for him and one that changes him in more than one way. Disgrace is not an easy movie to watch and it certainly will not be for everyone but if it sounds like something you might like then I highly recommend picking it, the film is a sad, harsh and thought-provoking piece of cinema that is as powerful as it is shocking. I would say to see this for John Malkovich and his amazing performance alone but the film, it's cast and story are much more than any one person could bring to the table. The film-makers set out to make a movie that depicts what is going on in the new South Africa and it's pretty scary stuff. The film moved me, maybe not in a good way but it certainly left me pondering long after it was over. One of the best films I have seen in some time and one I highly recommend.
Released by Image Entertainment
**** Out Of *****