Review of Manderlay (2005) by Mark D — 26 Jul 2009
It's inevitable that Lars Von Trier would tackle the touchy subject of racism with his fierce style of filmmaking. And while he does make solid points of how nature, humanity, and policy (among other attributes) can inhibit change, the Brechtian style so well utilized in the far superior "Dogville" feels too rehashed and recycled here to act as a catalyst in successfully portraying Von Trier's vague message.
Perhaps if he focused on specifics in his topic and adopted a fresher style, his point would have been made much better. However, he does garner a passionate performance from Bryce Dallas Howard (one of her earliest) and solid supporting work from Isaach De Bankole and Danny Glover.
"Manderlay" turns out to be a disappointing, albeit adequate followup to Von Trier's excellent "Dogville", due to a significant lack of clarity and focus.
This review of Manderlay (2005) was written by Mark D on 26 Jul 2009.
Manderlay has generally received positive reviews.
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