Based on John Carlin's book 'Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation', screenplay by Anthony Peckham.
It's has a very skilful set-up. Early morning - the President / 'Madiba' wants to take a run, accompanied by two security guards, cross cut to a speeding van. When the van catches up to the three there's a moment of tension - an assassination attempt? But no, they're delivering newspapers. But that then sets you up with (a) the security guys are people, characters, but there to protect the chief and (b) when will the assassination attempt come?
Mandela shrewdly recognises that his new administration must support the Springboks rugby team to be seen to be on the side of the country, makes contact with captain Matt Damon. There's of course initial reluctance on everybody's part, like the uneasy alliance of Mandela's security officers and the former white security team.
Freeman interviewed here: "I felt destined to do something about Mandela. I don't know whether you know that in 1992, when he published his autobiography, he was asked who he would want to play him, if the book ever became a movie. And he named me. So, I was sort of the chosen one, as it were. Therefore, I expected that eventually I would play him, but we always thought it would be in a movie version of "Long Walk to Freedom." It didn't turn out that way, however."
Clint can make a film well, and there's no down moments in the two hours. Highlights include the team visit to Mandela's prison, their training session at a township, the little kid who's trying to hear the game on the police radio, and the airplane over the stadium.
Tony Kgaroge is the security head, Adjoa Andoh (president's no. 2), Bonnie Mbuli, Langley Kirkwood (security). London based Fiona Weir was responsible for casting South Africans wherever possible, and commented "There's always a great pressure these days to cast well-known people very often, and he's a director who isn't concerned about that sort of thing at all. He just loves looking at an actor for what they bring to the part." Scott Eastwood is one of the rugby team,, as well as writing the score, with Michael Stevens.
Tom Stern shot it (Bill Coe assistant) and it's edited by Joel Cox and Gary Roach, with Blu Murray assisting. James Murakami is the production designer. VFX supervisor Michael Owens, who had also worked on the Iwo Jima films and Changeling, was responsible for making stadiums look like they were full of cheering fans.
Mandela's humanity - we must forgive our former enemies - shines strongly through.
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