Invictus

** Stars

This is the first time since Blood Work where I've called a Clint Eastwood film, not good. After leaving the theater, my brother Ryan turned to me and said: The writing and acting was amazing, the directing and editing was terrible. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon are truly wonderful in their roles. No one on the planet is better suited to play Nelson Mandala than Freeman. With the experience of a near immortal and one of the most trusted voices in cinema, Freeman is a surefire Oscar contender for Best Actor. So is Damon, who plays the captain of South Africa's 1995 rugby team. The incredible true story of using sports to unite the country (politically and emotionally) deserves to be an incredible movie. It unfortunately falls into the wrong hands with Eastwood.

Eastwood was, is, and always will be a masterful filmmaker, but sometimes certain subjects are not meant to be told by certain people. Filled with the same structure problems as Flags of Our Fathers, it is more clear than ever that the man's reputation of using one take and moving on is wearing thin. For example, when rugby takes center stage in Invictus, I swear I noticed multiple uses of the same shot throughout different games. I never thought I'd say this, but I think it's time the man returned to his comfort zone, in hopes of finding a subject that supports his one-take technique.