I was astonished to learn from IMDb that film critics and the Liberal establishment had shunned this, on the whole, well well acted and engrossing story about the problems of gaining support for aid to the civilians populations in devastated areas of Africa, Cambodian and Chechnya, on the grounds that it was "too depressing." I couldn't help contrasting the paeans of enthusiasm these same critics had heaped upon Sean Penn for his truly dreary performance in The Assassination of Richard Nixon. Well, after all, you know, Nixon is such a satisfying target.
But the indifference of the Liberal Establishment to the terrible sufferings and deaths of these poor, poor people and the manifest failure of themselves and their perennial darling, the United Nations, to effectively respond, is quite another matter. Even today, these professed do-gooders seem to smile rather indulgently at Angelina Jolie's efforts, newly become newsworthy because of her marriage to Brad Pitt.
Beyond Borders' African scenes were particularly compelling. I thought the Chechnian scenes were unnecessary and used time that could have been more effectively used in developing the Cambodian story which could have been much more dramatic because the horror there was at least as great as in Africa. But the latter had been filmed before and, perhaps, enough is enough. My capacity to absorb horror, especially horror that could have been avoided or at least minimized by resolute action, is, I am afraid, rather limited. But some things cry out for the telling even though it may hurt to listen.
The movie Establishment should be ashamed of itself for not recognizing the virtues of this excellent screenplay. Perhaps the sting of its indictment, which was as sharp as that of the old play, The Deputy, was just too close to the mark to be endured.
And my hat is off to Angelina Jolie as a truly remarkable human being.
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