Boesman & Lena

Danny Glover and Angela Bassett turn in passionate performances as a South African couple whose life has been torn apart by apartheid. Based on a 1970 play, the dialogue-heavy drama is hindered by its theatrical origins despite the director's use of CinemaScope and occasional non-linear storytelling to impart a cinematic feel (flashbacks depict the pair living joyfully, along with their child, in a rural setting before being cast from Cape Town slums to wander the countryside). Although the long-winded monologues probably worked better on stage, the characters' plight is a moving one as they deal with their loss of dignity and struggle to stay together. A strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)