The Hurricane
Directed by Norman Jewison
- drama
The story
The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-washed Americana gives way to cold prison blues in this biographical drama, with Jewison's camera moving from restless handheld boxing sequences to stark, grey-green cell interiors and long, patient shots of faces held in harsh fluorescent light. The palette shifts between the bright, gritty textures of 1970s New Jersey streets and the institutional flatness of prison walls, and the soundtrack leans on soulful, rhythmic music that punctuates the sweat and fury of the ring. Its vibe is earnest and melancholy, with moments of hard-won hope, best suited to a long evening in or a weekend when you want something substantial and emotionally weighty. The pacing is measured and deliberate, following a proud, combative man slowly learning to trust the unlikely allies who believe in him. Violence appears in boxing bouts and brief moments of prison brutality, and there is some sharp language and dark, bleak scenes of injustice, but nothing is lingered on gratuitously. For viewers who want a serious, humane story of resilience and friendship, shaped by memoir and real events.
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