Leofwine_draca BRUBAKER is another exemplary, hard-hitting slice-of-life prison drama from the director who brought us COOL HAND Luke. Robert Redford has never been better as a prison warden who goes undercover in his new posting in order to learn the ins and outs of the place - the ultimate UNDERCOVER BOSS! He soon learns that corruption is endemic in the system and vows to clean it out, with the usual repercussions. This lengthy drama is full to the brim of great sub-plots, moving scenes, fine character work from the supporting cast (David Keith and a debuting Morgan Freeman stand out alongside Yaphet Kotto, Joe Spinell, and Everett McGill as the guards) and a general quality feel. Overall, though, it's Redford himself who sells the picture, embodying his character with a real drive and spirit which is truly inspiring.

Richie-67-485852 Good story and excellently directed and acted out from all points of view. It is worthy to mention that there is so much real life here as to what is going in prisons today especially the ones run in the south where no one do anything about them without tremendous efforts. Rape, harsh punishments, and threats are all driven by fear and promotes the survival of the fittest concept followed closely by dog eat dog. The real life story took courage to come out and the man behind it all can claim that his life and his work amounted to something decent based on the end results and changes. May we all bring about good change, make the world a better place, and then hand-off to the next fellow prompting him to do the same. Good snack movie, tasty drink and no cell phone, texting etc. Go potty before hand too. Let the movie unfold without interruptions so that it can activate all your emotions thus pulling you into the film. Isn't that what good entertainment does? Enjoy and note: I have seen this movie so many times and will see it again & again. Its a sure thing

SnoopyStyle A prisoner (Robert Redford) arrives at Wakefield State Penitentiary in Arkansas. He witnesses rampant abuse and corruption from the guards and prison officials. The prison is a dangerous overcrowded gulag. Eddie Caldwell (Everett McGill) is a cruel inmate given the powers of a guard. Larry Lee Bullen (David Keith) is a lifer trying to do right. Prisoner Walter (Morgan Freeman) suffering from solitary confinement takes Bullen hostage. The mysterious prisoner comes to the rescue revealing himself to be the new warden Henry Brubaker. He institutes reforms with the help of inmates Bullen and Dickie Coombes (Yaphet Kotto).The scariest thing about this prison isn't the torture, the rape, or the corruption. It's that most of prison seems to be run by the inmates. The tower guards are prisoners. The clerks are prisoners. In fact, I can't tell who's not a prisoner. Brubaker is a bit too heroic. He's one of those impossible people and almost inhuman. It's trying to advocate something rather than be a compelling story. The prison is a gritty place. That's one of most compelling aspect of the movie.

classicsoncall This is the kind of film Warner Brothers would have produced in the Forties if they had the writing and technical ability to do so. Robert Redford is probably too handsome an actor to be cast as a reform prison warden, but once that's out of the way, this is an effective and gripping story that's bound to put the viewer on edge for all the corruption on both sides of a jail cell. Particularly frustrating was the attitude of the political types who play the part of reformers, but when it comes time to take action, they become more than a part of the problem.There's an early scene that baffled me a bit that I'm still thinking about. When Brubaker (Redford) first enters Wakefield, he's working his way into the facility in a line of fellow convicts, and it appears that a guard with a rifle nods to him as if to give some form of recognition. I played it back to be sure, but nothing ever came of it later on, so I'm still scratching my head about it.Very cool for film fans is the ensemble cast that includes names like Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander, Morgan Freeman in an early role, and M. Emmet Walsh doing a smarmy gig as a corrupt businessman using convicts for slave labor and matter of factly justifying it. Knowing Redford's politics I got a kick out of his use of the term 'token liberal' to describe one of Lillian Gray's (Jane Alexander) associates. With his old pal Paul Newman gone and now getting on in years, Redford's liberalism is becoming more pronounced. I liked him better as the Sundance Kid.