Majorthebys
Charming and brutal
Robert Joyner
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Bob
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
bheadher
If you think the corruption and brutality in this movie is just fantasy, I have some news for you...The corruption and brutal treatment of prisoners at state prisons was too often very real, until they were uncovered and dealt with. And it was not limited to the deep southern states, either. In fact, of the ten most infamous prisons in the US, five of them are in northern and western states...that doesn't mean the south gets a free ride though. Most of the southern prisons were notorious for the chain gangs, and some were identified for the corruption as well. The difference in the movie Brubaker, is that the corruption displayed is totally open and everybody knows about it...in reality, corruption was usually very localized, and many officials simply had no idea it was so rampant.Brubaker is an eye opener of a movie, and deserves every one of the stars...
Scott LeBrun
Based on the real life story of Tom Murton, "Brubaker" tells of a new prison warden, Henry Brubaker (Robert Redford), who enters Wakefield Penitentiary in the South under the guise of being a fellow prisoner. He does this to get a first hand account of conditions for the convicts, because what he's really about is reform. He will earn himself both allies and enemies in his bull-headed quest for changes, eventually getting wind of the fact that bodies have been buried on prison property for many years.It's interesting to note from the leading IMDb review that the film is largely faithful to the true story, with some standard embellishments and inventions for a movie audience. It's pretty straightforward, with a variety of characters that establish rooting interest. Screenwriter W.D. Richter (who was Oscar nominated) keeps some things ambiguous, and keeps one interested in the elements that remain unexplained in the film (like why the men were killed in the first place). The ultimate goal is to expose the skeletons in the closet of this corrupt system, and while Brubaker may come off as a stubborn sort, there's no denying that he's a man with the courage of his convictions.Redford is ideally cast as the protagonist, and he's supported by a simply phenomenal bunch of actors: Yaphet Kotto (who has some great moments), Jane Alexander, Murray Hamilton, a charismatic young David Keith, Morgan Freeman (in what is really a minor sort of role), Matt Clark, Tim McIntire, and Richard Ward. This, unfortunately, was the last feature film appearance for the raspy voiced Ward; the film is dedicated to him. And get a load of the scores of familiar faces in smaller roles. This viewer will refrain from reeling off a list of names and let you discover them for yourselves.Nice music by Lalo Schifrin and vivid location shooting help to make this solid entertainment, that does manage to end in a reasonably realistic way (again, though, this is indicative of a respectable basic adherence to the truth). This viewer could have done without that "slow clap" nonsense, but at least it wouldn't have been as much of a cliché back in 1980 than it would be now.Eight out of 10.
SnoopyStyle
A prisoner (Robert Redford) arrives at Wakefield State Penitentiary in Arkansas. He witnesses rampant abuse and corruption from the guards and prison officials. The prison is a dangerous overcrowded gulag. Eddie Caldwell (Everett McGill) is a cruel inmate given the powers of a guard. Larry Lee Bullen (David Keith) is a lifer trying to do right. Prisoner Walter (Morgan Freeman) suffering from solitary confinement takes Bullen hostage. The mysterious prisoner comes to the rescue revealing himself to be the new warden Henry Brubaker. He institutes reforms with the help of inmates Bullen and Dickie Coombes (Yaphet Kotto).The scariest thing about this prison isn't the torture, the rape, or the corruption. It's that most of prison seems to be run by the inmates. The tower guards are prisoners. The clerks are prisoners. In fact, I can't tell who's not a prisoner. Brubaker is a bit too heroic. He's one of those impossible people and almost inhuman. It's trying to advocate something rather than be a compelling story. The prison is a gritty place. That's one of most compelling aspect of the movie.
Rodrigo Amaro
This almost forgotten film should be analyzed today after its unexpected and unimagined possibility of an alternate reality that wasn't a complete fabrication. The story of a prison warden who wants to change everything that's wrong in the prison system of his state really happened. "Brubaker" focus on a challenge to a corrupt system that on the surface seems to be doing its service of punishing convicted criminals but also is a vile and dirty business whose purpose is to profit above all costs. The lead character, played by an unusual and remarkable Robert Redford, is introduced to us as a prisoner who barely speaks but observers everything concerning how inmates are treated by the guards, how the machine works behind bars and the constant brutality of the place. The plot twist to everyone is when he presents himself as the new warden and he sets up a whole reformation on the place, condemning what's wrong and doing what he believes it's right. There's plenty of benefits for the prisoners but the guards and the businessman who always gained advantages with the old administration aren't happy about this, and that misery and dissatisfaction goes back to the people who hired him, the governor and his staff who now pressure the man to go easy with his work. After all, they are losing a lot of money obtained with frauds and illegal schemes. One man alone means nothing so Brubaker is helped by some inmates and a local authority (Jane Alexander) who is close to the state governor, and will try to convince everyone that Brubaker's idealism if put to work can be profitable for everyone involved.Brubaker's idea isn't just to denounce the illegal affairs of the state and make budget cuts. He's more concerned with the way convicted felons are treated, want to stop their exploitation and make the place a safe environment instead of the critical animal factories that don't punish anyone but is only useful to transform them into bigger monsters whose only fate is either death, or commit more violent crimes or to return to the animal factory again. Sure, this idea is good and valuable but not practical. In the film's case, it fails because one can't change a system unless if one being part of it; Brubaker made the terrible mistake of not firing the whole officials team, and those guys still managed to cause harm and work their way behind his back; and the people with the money will always speak higher.Such idealism wouldn't work today, that's sure but it could worth a shot, specially in countries where the private initiative isn't the option (because politics are having their big time with a failing system that pays them well). Today's criminal minds are far more worse than the ones from the 1980's when this was made and they probably wouldn't leave a place where they could feel as if being on a hotel, practically with the cell keys on their hands, dictating orders like Pablo Escobar did in his "prison" time. But it can be made. And that final image of accomplish given here says everything even though things didn't turned the way it could. The film has a fine progression and it's greatly well acted by Alexander, Redford and heightened by convincing performances from trustworthy character actors Everett McGill, David Keith, Yaphet Kotto, Matt Clark, M. Emmet Walsh, Murray Hamilton and a young Morgan Freeman. "Brubaker" has that rare quality of being dreamy, that enlightening power some movies have in our reality and we want to believe of making a dream possible. To change the world. 8/10
