The directorial debut of Denzel Washington, Antwone Fisher is based on a true story and features a sparkling central performance from newcomer Derek Luke. He plays the title character, a deeply troubled young navy recruit who is forever getting himself into trouble. When he oversteps the mark yet again, Fisher is told to visit psychiatrist Jerome Davenport (Washington) in an attempt to see exactly what his problem is. Before you can say "Good Will Hunting", Fisher opens up to his shrink, reliving the horrors of a truly hideous childhood.
On first glances, Antwone Fisher may appear to be one of those deeply unoriginal melodramas, the sort of which often provide a solid platform for name actors to make a seamless but vapid transition into directing. And while Antwone Fisher doesn't exactly abandon the staples of the genre (there's quite a bit of manly hugging going on here), a deep-routed and valid emotional urgency at the heart of this story overrules its faults. Just about. As you might expect, Washington is in his now expected stoic form in front of the camera, while as a director, he's an actor's delight, gently coaxing meaty, beautifully rounded performances from his little known but talented cast. Worth a look.
