Brubaker [1980] [DVD]

Based on a true story, Brubaker is a superior prison drama that should be in every film lover's collection. Henry Brubaker is an idealistic new prison warden, who has been sent to Wakefield prison farm with reform in mind. He takes the unusual step of entering the prison as an inmate, to get a real view of what is going on. The first half hour of the film, before his dramatic revelation, is a grim and unflinching look at the worst of humanity as he observes the corruption, the squalor, the depraved behaviour, the casual violence that the prisoners both endure and mete out. When he takes over as Governor (following a classic scene with Morgan Freeman, 15 years before he won worldwide recognition as Red in his other great prison film, The Shawshank Redemption) he starts to fight back, trying to stop the corruption that leaves the prisoners starving, in rags and in filth. Fighting wardens and inmates who are up to their necks in graft, and governors and businessmen who profit from the slave labour, he soon makes enemies. It is when he finds unmarked graves and starts to uncover even more serious crimes that his position becomes difficult, and eventually the politicians find enough ammunition to fire him before he can make their jobs unsafe.Redford is perfectly cast as the energetic and idealistic Brubaker, genuinely horrified at what he sees and full of concern for his fellow human beings. For me it counts as one of his best films. The script writer (who was nominated for an Oscar) and director produce a stygian vision of life in the prison, made all the more disturbing by the realisation that these conditions are real, and people are forced to live in this degradation. Redford's Brubaker is a gleaming shaft of light in this darkness as he looks on with concern and revulsion. And while his idealism might have been beaten by the vested interests in the short term, in the long term the end credits show how he was the catalyst that actually allowed serious reform to occur years later.Also of note is Morgan Freeman, who gets to sing, and Yaphett Koto, an actor not seen often enough in big films, as the head trusty.Based on a true story, this is a must see film fives stars.

I only marked this four stars due to me having to turn my head away and cover ears at times. It is a good film. Based on a real character but too authentic and could have done with some light relief! It does lighten up from the horrific to the bearable though so do persevere Thoroughly believable acting by Robert Redford and I loved the last scene. Not going to reveal any of the plot but I would recommend.

I liked the film Brubaker who gave the prisoners what they should really be having and allocated and not been stored away for some other fat cat to use!The prisoners may have done the crime but they still need to be fed clothed and a roof over there head.Robert Redford played a great part as the New Warden it did make me smile when he did not tell any one that he was the the Warden he came in with the other prisoners to get the feel of the place , he found corruption in the prison and who was the Fat cat was getting it all it all. A true story well worth a watch ,I enjoyed it.

This movie is one of my favourties and probably one of the best Robert Redford has done, its based on a true story about a new warden who enters a prison farm in America which is rife with violence, corruption and murder.Mr Redford play's the character of Henry Brubaker who first enters the prison as an inmate to witness first hand the vicious way the prison is run (mostly by the psychopathic trustee's) who can shoot escaping inmates to get parole, have all the best food and the most freedom.Brubaker announces himself as the next warden and then proceeds to clean the place up, puts a stop to the violence meeted out to the vulnerable prisoners, learns the prisoners to respect each bother and stumbles across a conspiracy where some of the inmates were murdered decades before which the local government wants to keep quiet.This is a true Redford classic, keep an eye out for a wiry Samuel L Jackson and Morgan Freeman as a prisoner on Death Row.

not for me

Excellent quality thank you

Just how people can forget everyone is human

Great film , even if you are not a robert redford fan.