Stephen King was not happy with this Denzel Washington film: “Sentimental nonsense”
He is one of the few actors in the industry who can draw audiences to the theater simply by starring in a movie, but that doesn’t mean that every movie starring Denzel Washington is filled with praise and admiration.
Considered one of the greatest actors of the 21st century, Washington has won numerous awards, including two Oscars and three Golden Globes. He has starred in numerous blockbusters and successful films, but no actor goes his entire career without some flops, including Washington .
emotional manipulation
Horror icon Stephen King even compared one of Washington’s films to emotional manipulation. In King’s defense, it must be said that the film had many of the characteristics of the so-called “prize bait”: It was a biographical drama, it had a relevant social and social background and was driven by a strong emotional charge.
Still, the film was well received by critics and performed reasonably well in theaters, grossing almost double its production budget. It didn’t even serve as a showcase for Washington’s undeniable talent, but was rather a passion project in which he played a supporting role and got behind the camera as a director for the first time.
antwone fisherman
That film is 2002’s Antwone Fisher, starring Derek Luke as Antwone “Fish” Fisher. He is a temperamental young man with a history of violent outbursts, who was forced to report to Jerome Davenport, a Navy psychiatrist played by Washington, after their final conflict.
antwone fisherman It was not only Washington’s directorial debut, but also Luke’s film debut. In addition to Washington and Luke, the cast also includes Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson, Leonard Earl Howze, Kevin Connolly, Novella Nelson, Sung Kang, Ellis Williams and Viola Davis.
sentimental nonsense
The film is based on a true story and therefore did not have to try to create artificial emotions, since the events on screen really happened, although that did not matter to King.
“Don’t throw sentimental nonsense at me and call it social commentary.” he wrote in Entertainment Weekly. “Antwone Fisher is particularly annoying in this regard: a $9 Hallmark card that boils down to: ‘Roses are red, violets are blue, life is hard, but you’ll get through it.’ I already knew that, thanks. Now go away ”.
Minority
King is among the minority who criticized Washington’s directorial debut for attempting to make viewers cry so frequently that it almost seems cynical. Of course, the film doesn’t reinvent the wheel and closely follows the emotional template used by powerful dramas for decades. But he’s far from being one of the worst offenders in that regard.
Of course, King is entitled to his opinion and antwone fisherman It is clearly not a film that has had the desired emotional impact on him. He’s right when he says that Hollywood often produces movies carefully designed to evoke exactly the reaction Washington intended. However, the two-time Oscar winner’s directorial debut was far from the most obvious attempt at that genre.
To look at?
Want antwone fisherman to see? You can see the movie at Disney+.