"Here comes the story of the Hurricane, the one the authorities came to blame."
-- Bob Dylan

The Hurricane
Universal, 1999
Directed by Norman Jewison

$$3/4

The Hurricane is a well-made drama that will leave you feeling good. But if authenticity and historical accuracy count for anything, then the telling of this true story of a top prize fighter imprisoned for murders he didn't commit comes out a split decision.

The fighter is Rubin "Hurricane" Carter and the film uses Bob Dylan's song about Carter's plight for both it's title and musical theme. As far as I can count, it's the second Dylan tune to be used in such a way -- the other was the 1989 flop The Mighty Quinn -- and both films star Denzel Washington. Go figure.

As far as Washington goes, he's transcendent, as usual -- bringing intense power to every scene he's in. Washington was long ago cemented as one of cinema's finest on-screen talents and this performance will only elevate that reputation. The rest of the cast is generally solid as well and the man in the director's chair, Norman Jewison, is definitely a pro. It's the script that's not up to par.

At every turn, Carter is portrayed as a godly saint who time and again is rewarded for his wonderful deeds by being thrown in jail. There's no doubt Carter encountered an insidious wall of racism in his life, but the film strains credibility on certain points. That Carter was wrongly accused of murder seems undoubtable, but the movie goes on to try and tell us that the other jail sentences Carter received in his life were also based on false charges. It just comes off as ludicrous. The movie goes so far to erase any blemish on Carter's life that a robbery conviction he received prior to the murder sentence is never mentioned.

The filmmakers also tread dangerous ground when it comes to composite characters. I don't mind a composite character or two in a biopic -- it's a necessary device. But in this film, a key character who makes putting Carter in jail a personal vendetta -- turns out to be a composite. If the one man that this film says is solely responsible for putting Carter away never existed, then the film is too great a distortion of reality to take seriously.

The movie also spends way too much time focusing on the Canadian roommates who worked tirelessly to get Carter free. Watching these white people snoop around New Jersey for clues is remenicent of a bad Scooby Doo episode. You get the feeling that they're only thrown in there in a misguided effort to avoid having the movie labeled a "black movie". A better label would be "white wash".

(c) Copyright 2000