Review of Mr. Church (2016) by Terra N — 11 Apr 2017
Eddy Murphy turns in a fine performance as a man living behind a facade of incredible reserve and practiced civility. Some critics find that somehow demeaning or even supportive of racial stereotypes. That is both thoughtless and unfortunate. This was not a film about race. It was a film about love and redemption. It was about the value of maintaining a calm, kind and steady hand for the sake of others. It is about valuing small things and finding power in it. It is about giving of yourself and finding value in the process. It made me want to be a better person.
The film fails to develop the characters as well as it might have, but Murphy's presence was majestic and almost cathedral-like. I enjoyed seeing him out of his type-cast comedic roles.
While there were missteps in the plot, the general theme is believable and hopeful. In an age when civility is largely lost, this film pays homage to the value of using a polished dance of etiquette to create calm place for love and confidence to bloom.
This review of Mr. Church (2016) was written by Terra N on 11 Apr 2017.
Mr. Church has generally received positive reviews.
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