Oh my god. I had tears in my eyes.

I’ll call CNN
Great Line: "I’m not a virgin anymore." —Antwone announcing to Davenport, after beginning his search.

Written by Antwone Fisher
Directed by Denzel Washington

Cast:
Derek Luke Antwone Fisher
Joy Bryant Cheryl Smolley
Denzel Washington Commander Jerome Davenport
Salli Richardson Berta Davenport (Fenna/Nidell from Second Sight(DS9))
Earl Billings James
Kevin Connolly Slim
Novella Nelson Mrs. Tate
Yolonda Ross Nadine

Antwone Fisher is the directorial debut of Denzel Washington. It’s based on the true story of the title character, a young Navy man who struggles to control his anger. After one too many brawls, he is ordered to take sessions with a Navy psychiatrist, Commander Davenport, played by Denzel Washington. As Davenport works to gain Antwone’s trust, and Antwone works to deal with his rage, we are gradually given more and more glimpses into Antwone’s troubled childhood leading up to his entering the Navy.

But the movie isn’t just about dealing with anger. It’s a movie about family, about one’s sense of identity, and how having the one so powerfully figures into the other. Antwone, you see, was orphaned by tragic events that occurred before he was even born, and was placed into foster care with the abusive Mrs. Tate, and her daughter Nadine. Throughout the film we are appalled at the abusive treatment shown Antwone and his foster brothers. Tate refers to her foster sons only as "n1gger," and constantly tells Antwone that he’s retarded, that no one wanted him, not even his mother. One might think that Antwone has already worked toward bettering himself in his adult years. He’s intelligent and sensitive. He speaks two languages, and is working on a third. He has never done drugs, fathered a child out of wedlock, or gotten in trouble with law, he tells one person. So why is he so troubled? Why is he so quick to punch out a superior officer over nothing? He is dealing with feelings of abandonment from those who orphaned him, the rage over his abuse as a child, and the fear that those who he becomes close to will leave him, even Davenport.

I can’t give too much away, or it will spoil it for you. Some may say that the above paragraph already gives too much away, but because the film is so much about what makes Antwone tick psychologically, it’s difficult to describe what the film’s about and how well it is executed without mentioning some of what comes out during his sessions.

Denzel Washington excels in his directorial debut, and my friend Nick, who’s possibly an even bigger Denzel fan than myself, said he was surprised as how good his direction was. When I had the privilege to meet Mr. Washington in April of 1999 in Paramus, NJ, where a screening for The Bone Collector was held, I was fortunate enough to shake his hand and get his autograph before he left the theater. I told him that he should’ve gotten the Oscar for Malcolm X.

He should get a nomination for directing this film, and if he doesn’t, it would be a shame.

If you’re a fan of drama, and/or of Denzel Washington, GO SEE THIS MOVIE FRIDAY!!