by John Zenoni
What an inspirational and amazing film ‘Brian Banks’ is! This is one that has a message that's still very much relevant today as you know good and well what happened to Brian Banks has happened to many, many others and is still happening to people due to a broken legal system.
The film is based on the true story of Brian Banks, a high school football star who is wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit. He is ‘persuaded’ to plea no contest to the charges but only because he's told that the most he would get was probation. Unfortunately, the judicial system didn't see it that way and instead he was sentenced to over 6 years in prison. While he did his time and was paroled, he learned the hard way that even out of prison he's still judged by others and not given any chance to earn a living. So technically he's not ‘free.’ Determined to prove his innocence and get his wrongful conviction overturned, he works with Justin Brooks and the California Innocence Project to get another hearing so he can get his life back and pursue his dreams of playing in the NFL.
This movie works on so many levels and I can't speak highly enough about it. I was concerned going in that it would be like a Lifetime movie or a Dateline television episode of the week but it's not like either of those at all. The film is told with some flashbacks but it's so well done and with such perfect placement throughout the film that they work without a hitch. You become engrossed in Brian's story from the beginning and wonder how he fell victim to the situation and would he ever be able get his name back. What you find is that this is something that could happen to anyone, all because of someone’s false accusations. It's tragic and your heart breaks for him and his mother, who's helpless, due to limited financial means, to be able to help her son. But the strength that Brian carries in him and his determination to get justice is amazing.
The film perfectly paced and the buildup toward the final court hearing is enthralling. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are all spot on, especially those of Banks’ mother, Leomia, portrayed by Sherri Shepherd; the accuser, Kenisha Rice, portrayed by Xosha Roquemore; Banks’ parole officer, Mick Randolph, portrayed by Dorian Missick; Banks’ girlfriend, Karina, portrayed by Melanie Liburd; Justin Brooks, portrayed by Greg Kinnear; and last but not least, Banks himself, portrayed by Aldis Hodge. There is an uncredited performance by Morgan Freeman as well, but I won't touch on that for fear of giving anything away. All were wonderful but Mr. Hodge did an outstanding job in his role and I truly hope he's recognized or acknowledged someway during awards season.
'Brian Banks' makes you realize how easy one can lose everything in the blink of an eye and how hard you must fight to keep your good name. This is a must-see film!
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