An emotionally powerful movie of brokenness and healing.
Roger Ebert, a movie critic, wrote that the film “ends with scenes so true and heart-breaking that tears welled up in my eyes both times I saw the film.”
It is based on a true story. The script was written by the very person whose life the film presents. What’s the story?
Antwone Fisher, a young African American, is a hot-tempered sailor, who gets into fights very easily. He is punished for his violent temper, and ordered to meet a psychiatrist, which he does not want to do.
Why such explosive temper? Antwone’s father was killed two months before he was born. His mother was jailed soon after, and he was born in prison. Since she did not claim him for two years, he was placed with a foster family. There he suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse. His anger grew more intense. He quit the foster home at fourteen, roamed around for some time, and then joined the navy. His closest friend was killed during a robbery.
When he is forced to meet the navy psychiatrist, Dr Davenport, he does not speak. After many silent meetings, he opens up. “I understand that you like to fight,” the psychiatrist tells him. Fisher feels that’s the way some people can be taught a lesson. But he does not see that he is paying a heavy price for that lesson. He begins to understand himself and sees that the psychiatrist cares. He also develops a friendship with a young woman on the ship.
After their counselling meetings, Dr Davenport tells Fisher that he needs to seek the answers on his own; that he needs to find his family and sort out the unresolved issues.
Fisher goes back to his old foster home and confronts the authorities who had abused him. He finds out who his father was, and learns that his mother is alive. He goes to meet her. What follows is an emotionally powerful meeting.
There is another surprise in the story. Dr Davenport finds that he has unresolved issues to tackle as well. Not only the client, but also the psychiatrist, needs healing and closure.
The famous African American actor, Denzel Washington, directed the movie and acted as the psychiatrist at the naval base. Derek Luke, who acts as Antwone Fisher, was a newcomer to Hollywood. He had known the real Fisher, who wrote the script for the movie.
The real Antwone Fisher (who wrote the script) says, “I hope that after seeing the movie and reading my memoir people will see that every child has value and boundless potential and that even if all one has to give is an encouraging word as a genuine gesture of care. .. that gift alone can save a child’s life and give hope for the future.”
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