Up until the very last moments when I awaited the film's conclusion with bated breath, I found myself wrapped in Eljiofor's too-pure portrayal of Mike Terry.
From the film's onset, Eljiofor recites a string of aphorisms ("A man distracted is a man defeated"; "You know the escape!"; "I teach people to prevail") that strike the ear with such a compelling jolt as to convince viewers of his sincerity. And therein lies the film's core appeal: the protagonist's own integrity -- not as a quaint affect conjured up by Mamet to elicit sentimental admiration, but as Terry's sole capacity to weather the evils of human frailty. So when Eljiofor's character descends into an environment without scruples, we sense the groundwork for a morality play with an all too predictable conclusion.
The truth, however, is that Terry's descent is minimal if non-existent and we become witness to a man who uses conflict as servant to his convictions. So as those around him allow their characters to unravel in the face of confrontation, Terry endures in perfect adherence to his philosophies: "embrace it or deflect it... why oppose it?" Ultimately, Mamet submits, for our observation, a rare portrayal of harmonious integrity, undeterred and undiluted by pervasive self-debasement.
From the film's onset, Eljiofor recites a string of aphorisms ("A man distracted is a man defeated"; "You know the escape!"; "I teach people to prevail") that strike the ear with such a compelling jolt as to convince viewers of his sincerity. And therein lies the film's core appeal: the protagonist's own integrity -- not as a quaint affect conjured up by Mamet to elicit sentimental admiration, but as Terry's sole capacity to weather the evils of human frailty. So when Eljiofor's character descends into an environment without scruples, we sense the groundwork for a morality play with an all too predictable conclusion.
The truth, however, is that Terry's descent is minimal if non-existent and we become witness to a man who uses conflict as servant to his convictions. So as those around him allow their characters to unravel in the face of confrontation, Terry endures in perfect adherence to his philosophies: "embrace it or deflect it... why oppose it?" Ultimately, Mamet submits, for our observation, a rare portrayal of harmonious integrity, undeterred and undiluted by pervasive self-debasement.
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