Joe Roth has graced the world with his directing skills through many cinematic gifts, including 'Daddy Day Care' and 'Revenge of the Nerds II.' He brings yet another masterpiece to the table with 'Freedomland,' a film that is the very embodiment of subtlety and rationality. Actually, this only holds true if your definition of subtlety involves viewers being repeatedly hit in the face with the point of a movie, and if your definition of rationality involves overstating stereotypes played upon by sensationalist journalists. And, of course, if your definition of masterpiece involves a work with few redeeming qualities.
The movie follows the exploits of New York detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson), a complex and passionate man referred to as 'Big Daddy' by the inhabitants of the housing project in his precinct. Council finds only smiles and rainbows in this neighborhood at first. A single mother, Brenda Martin (Julianne Moore), who was supposedly carjacked by a black man, changes this. At first, this seems like an open and shut case to Council, but this would mercifully end the film, so there is obviously a catch. Martin's hijacking experience carried away not only her car, but her sleeping son as well.
This development sets off a series of conflicts'the predominantly white police force versus the black community, the community versus Council, and Council versus Martin'that culminate in a localized race war of sorts. It is hard to be sure, though: Roth directs this specific scene in a way that makes the race war seem entirely ordinary and commonplace. He scrambles to make an impact on society by making each successive 'lesson' within the movie a slap in the viewer's face, and in turn, loses any headway on his topics. Through his excessive bluntness, he insults the intelligence of his audience. He seems to think we need every transparent symbol used in the film spelled out to us in mind-numbing detail.
Stereotypes also bog down this film. The script rests on stereotypes of cops (excessive force first, questions later), parents of missing children (they are always lying) and black communities (composed of wife-beaters, jive-talkers and teenagers just waiting to burn refrigerator boxes). In this film, Roth tries to come across as socially conscious by making a point about our flawed perceptions. It fails again by turning that point into a baseball bat and slamming in the viewer's head with it.
The writing, with the exception of Jackson's lines, is pitiful. The slow and excessive dialogue delivers many details that could have been given visually. Julianne Moore's lines were particularly awkward, strange and rambling. The film fails to fully flush out many story threads that are merely touched upon. It ends up feeling painfully long, and could have ended at the one-hour point.
There are some redeeming points in this fetid wasteland of mediocre cinema. Jackson's performance was superb and held the film together. His character was appealing and complex, and his dialogue was even well-written. Also inspiring were the shots and angles of various images in the film; it is quite visually polished. It would be much better as a silent film.
'Freedomland' is a movie that tries to be too much. It ends up being rambling, confused and formulaic for all of its trouble. Do not waste your time or money on this one.
