Review Summary: Historical biopic has its rough spots, but still very solidly effective.
History films are always super cool to see. It's really nice to see sides of history brought to life that may not have been known before. And no, I'm not saying Harriet Tubman is relatively unknown (there has been a lot written about her, and I remember reading books about her back in the homeschool days), but this generation definitely needs to know more about her. Her efforts in the abolitionist movement were truly extraordinary.
And director Kasi Lemmons does a remarkable job keeping the story's focus on the titular character. Tubman's character development from a fearful wife to a strong leader is believably shown, as is the strong presence God plays in her life. This isn't the first time Lemmons has worked with faith-based material (her previous film was the very underrated Black Nativity), and she very clearly showcases Tubman as a woman of faith that relies on her Savior for guidance and to lead her to her destiny.
As Tubman herself, Cynthia Erivo is quite fantastic. She portrays the change in her character super well, and is given multiple moments to showcase both prowess and convincing vulnerability also. It would be a shame if she isn't nominated for the Best Actress Oscar next year. The rest of the performances are good as well. However, some characters do over-act in some moments. Especially out of Janelle Monae, sometimes they seem a bit too convincing. But, there's no doubt that there's a lot of sincerity here. Also, some of her best scenes are started with a moment of singing a Gospel hymn, which I thought was a neat choice.
There's also an old-fashioned feel to the film's pacing and cinematography that works really well. Harriet never caves in to having modern production styles and visual effects. It instead sells itself on traditional ways, which fits the movie's tone just fine. The film relies on quick-moving chase and tension scenes that don't linger and hit straight to the point. It also works as a strong foreshadowing of the forthcoming Civil War. A few other moments in the script bring a brilliant sense of foreshadowing too.
That being said, the film is a bit over-the-top at times too in some of its dialogue choices. A couple of times, villainous characters drop the f-bomb simply to raise the shock factor. The word honestly (as far as I know) was not used during the 1800's, so its' inclusion feels weird at best, and oddly out-of-place and very unnecessary at worst. The main villain of the story also has a couple of moments where he goes on ranting for too long. I'm not sure if it was meant to make us hate him more, or just to add more intensity. However, a couple of scenes where we see him and his family struggling financially following Harriet's activities did give a much-needed sense of realism to his character.
Most history films are given a epilogue where it gives pictures and facts about the time period. Harriet gives its own unique spin on this by putting pictures of the actors next to sketches and pictures of the environment and the real-life counterparts (while still giving us tidbits about Harriet's life facts). These move a little quick, but it's definitely an interesting approach.
Harriet's story is definitely a worthy character study, and Lemmons' personal, authentic approach makes it very intriguing. It might not be the greatest history film ever made, but it's certainly sincere, realistic, and interesting enough to see.
My Score: 7.9/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing:
Rating: PG-13 for "thematic content throughout, violent material, and language including racial epithets".
Recommended age range: 9th graders and up.
Language: There's one clear use of the f-word where someone says, "you f****d up, (expletive)". There's one other possible use that's not clear. One s-word, one each of "b***ard" and "b**ch", as well as "h***" (five times) and "d***" (twice). One "g**d***", and a few of "oh my g**". The most common offense is the n-word, which is used very often, probably 15-20 times altogether. A slave owner is called a "cracker".
Drugs/Alcohol: Whiskey is hinted at once.
Adult Content: We see Harriet's bare back (with some scars) as she gets ready to bathe. We see her in the tub (her shoulders and her legs are visible, but nothing critical). A quick reference to someone sleeping in "brothels". Someone crudely says, "white whores" and says he's going to have sex with women with the money he gets from capturing Tubman. Some kisses between Harriet and her first husband.
Violence: Someone is struck dead (off-screen). A lot of verbal and physical threats aimed at Harriet and many others, including being tortured and "burned at the stake". A lot of screaming and intense depictions of separation. Someone is repeatedly kicked and mauled until dead. Harriet's sister is nearly choked to death, and her children are sold off into slavery. Harriet mentions that her skull was cracked open a long time ago. Rape and other violent acts against slaves are mentioned repeatedly. Someone is pounded a lot, and we see him bloodied shortly after (later we see him with one eye blinded). Someone is shot in the hand (we see blood fly).
Other: Slavemasters are depicted as cruel, selfish and horrid (as a lot rightfully were). Harriet's owner makes downright horrendous comments comparing Harriet to a pig on a spit and having a favorite slave being like a favorite pig.
