More important than the technical precision of the actors' turns is the rapport they all share--which ultimately lends this story of a family its authentic, immediate poignancy.
The Visit (2000)
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Synopsis: With THE VISIT, director Jordan Walker Pearlman makes his feature film debut, adapting a story from a book of the same title written by Kosmond Russell. The movie stars Hill Harper as a young man dying in prison who beckons his family to him for one final visit, hoping that their meeting will heal... With THE VISIT, director Jordan Walker Pearlman makes his feature film debut, adapting a story from a book of the same title written by Kosmond Russell. The movie stars Hill Harper as a young man dying in prison who beckons his family to him for one final visit, hoping that their meeting will heal old family wounds. [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Hill Harper, Obba Babatunde, Rae Dawn Chong, Billy Dee Williams, Marla Gibbs
Reviews
It couldn't possibly work without a transcendent central performance. Harper gives us that, and more.
It's hard not to give it bonus points for avoiding prison movie clichés and for taking a long, unblinking look at the complex dynamics of one American family.
A testament to the tenacity of the family, particularly the African American family.
A spare and moving study of regret and redemption, marked with chilling truths about a life behind bars.
Contains some effective performances, not least from Hill Harper as Alex, the hero.
Powerfully depicts the flowering of spiritual redemption within a young man who has every reason to give in to despair.
Harper ... turns in a powerful, nuanced performance and alone makes The Visit worth your time.
At its best when considering measures of masculinity and dread of not living up to them.
It backs up its earnest quality with a minimum of sentimentality and a cast-full of straightforward, moving performances.
The very strong performances in this low-budget film deserve a better narrative structure to strut their stuff.
A better venue for The Visit might be PBS or HBO, where its method-y intimacy would feel less forced.
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by: klucas 3/26/01

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