dracher Mr Beresford has taken what I consider to be his usual film making approach to this poorly adapted screenplay from an excellent and workable novel. Mr Johnson is NOT a comedy, neither does it rely upon comedic aspects in its story line. Mr Johnson is a drama, sadly robbed of its drivers.The great problem with this film is the miscasting of two leading men, and the inability of the director to accurately shape the story, and to direct the individual performances. the character of Mr Johnson, is lacking in complexity and dimension, and Mr Brosnan's work is rather like a mimicry of every British colonial character ever sent up by any music hall comic or TV sketch comedy ever produced.The basic story is heartrendingly powerful, and the false world of Mr Johnson, fueled by his childlike desire to fulfill its requirements, should be the powerhouse of the whole undercurrent of the madhouse of British Imperialism, and the blind faith of those who attempted to live up to the impossible standards of its, so called, civilization.The novel hits the gong, but this screenplay, the miscasting, the absence of storytelling and of basic theatrical direction, robs Mr Johnson of its magic.

GUENOT PHILIPPE When I bought this item, I really was not aware of what I was dealing with...Except it was a Bruce Beresford film, and also it took place somewhere in Africa, in the beginning of the twentieth century, and starring Pierce Brosnan.During the first half hour, I wondered what the screenplay drove at? I felt some boredom, but fortunately I found the real quality of this vivid story. I won't tell it again, the other comments were fine about it. It's worth watching. The only point I'd like to say it's that the character of Mister Johnson reminds me somewhere TOM HORN's one, starring Steve mac Queen, a man torn between two entities - MacQueen, the landowners who hired him to get rid of the settlers at all costs and the law; and Mister Johnson's actor who hesitates between his own people and the British "masters" he admired so much, these people he wanted so much to be like them, so much he felt himself British inside of him. Two characters who finish crushed at the end, and nearly in the same way. Just because of their convictions and engagement.I don't regret to have watched this film. No folks.

akhilles84 This is a good drama with a very touching ending.Pierce Brosnan does one of his best roles ever as friend of "Mr.Johnson",a Nigerian who sees himself as englishman.The way this film ends makes it big.See this but take a few tissues if you are soft hearted. 7 out of 10

GAMERA95 Every so often you come across a film that is so accurate in it's depiction of life and the character of the people you forget it's a movie and it takes you to that place in time and you become one of the people, Mister Johnson is that film plus 100. Mister Johnson is an accurate look into the life of a man who is torn between the color of his heritage and his longing to be an English gentleman. Mister Johnson is a man who forgets his ethnic heritage and calls his own people ''ignorant'' and ''savage'' but holds the people who treat his with the lowest respect, namely the British officials and colonists in the highest honor. He is an example of the brainwashing given to many many people of color over the centuries by the Whites, making them forget who they are, where they came from, and making them have an alien thirst for white culture. But Mister Johnson is more than that..oh yes indeed. He is a crafty little man who's high intelligence gets him into trouble with the British offocials. He has a thirst for english traditions and a longing for the white man's riches and acceptance but I do not believe he even knows why. This is a great film depicting the harsh life of a man too smart for his own good in a time where his skin color and an intellect that large was the biggest threat in the mind of white colonists. Sadly this film leaves you wanting more, wanting a deeper look into how Mister Johnson came to be they way he is.