Review of Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story

Redemption takes a stab at promoting the wrongfulness of gangs and spiritual awakening. However, it greatly comes up short in both of these areas. First and foremost, Jamie Foxx does an extremely mediocre job of portraying ex-gang-leader Stan Tookie Williams, often showing little emotion and speaking monotonously throughout the entire movie, gathering no support from the audience. Many camera angles completely contradict this acting style, constantly staying in extreme close-ups as Foxx gives an unemotional performance. For being represented as an anti-gang movie, the screenwriters spend way too much time giving justifications for gangs rather than approach the problem straight on. Also, having the same character represent both sides at different stages in the movie can confuse the viewer into doubting his liability. Foxx's spiritual awakening in the cell is downplayed up until the last twenty-or-so minutes where religion becomes the basis for his whole "journey." Overall, the inconsistencies in the script hinder Redemption and the poor acting cuts any possible emotional ties.