Sundance 2016 – The Birth of a Nation

Nate Parker has been one of my favorite actors for a few years now.  I first saw him in 2012’s Red Hook Summer and he immediately stood out to me.  He really impressed me later that year in Arbitrage, where he gave the best performance in that entire film and that includes a never better Richard Gere.  And then, in 2013’s Beyond the Lights, Parker, much like the movie, was excellent but overlooked.  Parker is one of hidden gems of Hollywood, and it is sad that he hasn’t made that giant splash yet.

The Birth of a Nation should be Parker’s coming out party not just as an actor, but as an artist.  Parker wrote, directed, produced, and stars in this gut-wrenching story about Nat Turner (Parker), an American slave who used his preachings to start a slave liberation movement to free African Americans in 1831 Virginia that led to a violent retaliation by the whites.

When I was watching this movie, I was awestruck as to how well it was made.  From the acting to the craft, everything is perfect, which is incredible, since this is Parker’s first feature film.  Parker clearly has a deft hand to him that makes his film look as if he had been directing for a decade.  Beautiful cinematography, an intense and exhilarating fight sequence like that of Gangs of New York (2002), keeping a story compelling with scenes of horror and beauty, and directing a movie on such a grand scale is such an impressive feat for a first time filmmaker.

Parker also gives an incredible performance as Nat.  When belting emotional hymns or leading the charge, Parker goes all in and gives an emotionally stirring, powerhouse performance that reminded me of a young Denzel Washington.  Armie Hammer gives his best performance since The Social Network (2010) as Nat’s emotionally conflicted slave owner Samuel Turner.  Samuel always had a good relationship with Nat since they were kids, looking at him less as a slave and more of an assistant.  But when the pressure of other slave owners gets too much for Samuel, his loyalty to Nat shifts the wrong direction.  It is a devastating, layered performance.  Jackie Earl Hayley is terrifying as an evil slave owner.  The rest of the very large supporting cast commit to their roles and deliver strong performances.

Birth of a Nation is a great movie.  Parker gives us a ferocious, poignant, expertly crafted historical epic.  This is one of the most impressive debut films I have ever seen, as the scale of the movie is unheard of for someone with this little experience.  Parker proves that he can do it all and stakes claim that he is a truly talented artist.  Welcome to the show Nate Parker, it’s been a long time coming.

MY RATING – 4/4

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