White Man's Burden

An excellent idea, imperfectly executed, writer/director Desmond Nakanos' film explores an American landscape in which the color roles have been reversed. Louis Pinnock (John Travolta), unfairly fired from his job, struggles to make ends meet and provide for his family in a black man's world. In desperation he kidnaps his wealthy black boss (Harry Belafonte) and tries to show him the basic inequities and patent injustices in a world where being white means being treated as a second-class citizen. Although the film does provoke thought, and is therefore a strong optional purchase, it ultimately takes the easy road by presenting an unrealistic, idealized version of the gradual coming to terms of the two men. (R. Pitman)