268. Rustin; movie review

 

RUSTIN

Cert 15

106 mins

BBFC advice: Contains racism

"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

Most people with an interest in 20th-century history will recognise Martin Luther King's words from his famous speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

But who was the driving force behind the march of 250,000 people on the American capital?

That would be the indefatigable Bayard Rustin, a hugely controversial figure among civil rights leaders as well as the political establishment.

This movie which recalls those events was produced by Higher Ground, the production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama in 2018 to tell inspirational stories. 

And Rustin's is certainly one. He was savagely beaten for defying segregation and was also openly gay in the 1950s. 

But, while some of the civil rights leaders believed his background was a liability, he had incredible charisma, supreme organisational skills and just wouldn't take no for an answer. 

In George C. Wolfe's Colman Domingo gives a performance of a lifetime with his portrayal of Rustin as a man with huge confidence in public and deep agonies in private.

It follows him from his lowest ebb when he falls out with King (Aml Ameen) due to pressures within the civil rights leadership in 1960.

However, he re-emerges into the fold three years later, much to the dismay of Roy Wilkins (Chris Rock), the executive security of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Rustin delves deep into the political infighting, the campaigner's astonishing achievement in organising the protest march and the turmoil of his home life. 

The discrimination is hard to fathom or watch but Rustin keeps on going.

Consequently, this is one of the most uplifting movies of the year.

But why did it miss out the most memorable words from 'that speech'?

Reasons to watch: Award-worthy performance by Colman Domingo

Reasons to avoid: Conclusion misses key element

Laughs: One

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 9/10

Did you know? As a pacifist, Bayard Rustin opposed war and refused to fight in World War II. Because of that, he spent more than two years in jail.

The final word. Colman Domingo: "What an extraordinary time that we're in right now, and this film, I think, can be a great example and examination of someone who is marginalised in history and someone who actually did so much for all the civil liberties that we have, which is great." Screen Rant

Share this post