"Them that die bad don't stay in the ground."      

BELOVED (R) 

Reviewed October 17, 1998 - Check out the Beloved Website.

It's been about eight or nine years since I originally read Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize winning novel Beloved, long enough ago so that I don't remember all the details of the story, but only the impression that it left with me afterwards.  As a novel, Beloved was intense, haunting, complex, and rich in texture--the kind of literature that makes you appreciate the power and emotion that the written word can convey.  Well, thanks to the persistent backing of Oprah Winfrey (who's been pursuing this project for over ten years), Beloved is now a film, and believe it or not, the strength of Morrison's original work continues to shine through.

Set in 1873 pre-Civil War Ohio, in a small home on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Beloved is both a slave story and a ghost story.  Sethe (Oprah Winfrey), a runaway slave, is raising her eighteen-year-old daughter Denver (Kimberly Elise) in seclusion, haunted by a Poltergeist-like ghost that terrorizes their home and their lives.  The ghost, as we quickly learn, is a product of Sethe's past, the troubled spirit of another daughter long gone.  Soon, however, Sethe and Denver's secluded lives find company in the form of Paul D. (Danny Glover), a fellow ex-slave with whom Sethe finds long-needed companionship.  After years of isolated existence, Paul D.'s presence brings laughter to Sethe's home, and for a few precious moments things are good.  Then, coming home from the carnival one day, Sethe, Denver, and Paul D. find a weary and mysterious young girl at their home.  Barely able to walk or speak, and possessing an eerie, childlike manner, the girl identifies herself as Beloved (Thandie Newton), and is immediately accepted into Sethe's home.

From here, Beloved evolves into a complex web of storytelling, exploring the interactions between the four characters living in the present, and slowly exposing their connections to Sethe's past.  The effect is sometimes beautiful, sometimes disturbing, but always incredibly intense, with sounds, images and words that really sink in and linger in your subconscious.  With strong direction from Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia), and stunning perfomances by Newton, Elise, Winfrey, and Glover, Beloved finds the heart of Toni Morrison's work and effectively brings it to life on screen.  Unfortunately, due to its nearly 3-hour runtime and some particularly unsettling scenes, this movie is not for everyone (and definitely not for kids).  Still, for those interested in seeing a film with character, depth and intensity, Beloved is definitely not one to miss.

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

donnice_h@yahoo.com gives this movie  stars: "Beloved is a spiritual movie! How your past can hold you back when you don't want to let go. How not to settle on the would-of, could-of syndromes. The women coming together laying hands on & praying for a sister in need. Then when you die to the flesh; how God steps in and removes things that are not like him, and replaces it with love. This movie had me glued to my T.V. What a spiritual up lift. Thank Ophrah for following your heart. If no one else got it I did." (9/25/01)

jbarnwell@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "The film is indeed a very complex film, but still it was worth watching it. One thing I want to ask: What happened with Beloved? Was she real or not? Please I really want to know.Thank You!" (9/20/01)

Cindy Bassett gives this movie  stars: "I found beloved to be one of the most riveting movies I'd ever seen, I was mesmerized by the exquisite cast and supperb acting, it kept me on the edge of my seat and brought tears to my eyes. Ophra it truly was a masterpiece. Hoorrah!!" (2/1/01)

cherlds@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "I think the movie was a very good movie, the suspense of the girl and were she came from kept my attention throughout the whole movie." (7/12/00)

jeortiz@ibm.net gives this movie  stars: "only people that have never felt that life's lessons good and bad are learning tools that can make the heart sing or break. only those brave enough to face the fact of our faults find meaning to life. boo if you wish this was a story of a people that survived the terrible truths of our country, overcame and still battle to have the right to be who they are and relish in the accomplishment. " (7/8/00)

Carol Berry gives this movie  stars: "Dear Oparh, I have been watching you for seven years now. I was thirty when I married and you became my only form of information. I started to watch " (5/31/00)

imani2032@blackvoices.com gives this movie  stars: "I read the book years ago, I loved it them. I was pleased to see that it made it to the big screen. Oprah was the perfect actress to play this role. I loved it as much as I loved the movie. If you were a little lost in the plot I suggest you go find the book and read it, them watch the movie again." (5/2/00)

grammy@dol.net gives this movie  stars: "Normally, I enjoy Oprah but this film was out there. I was enraged by what the characters had to endure prior to their escape but after that it went downhill. Toooooooooooo strange! Do not include name." (4/29/00)

meemee330@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "I love Oprah Winfrey. She is one of the best African American actresses. I am one day going to be just as good as her. When my lifes dream of becoming famous come true." (4/25/00)

thomsondavid@hotmail.com gives this movie  star: "Beloved is one horrible movie. Ophrah is somewhat like Kevin Kostner. Both are so powerful that no one dares object to their ego tripping silliness. Ophrah and Toni Morrison are mediocre wealthy, pampered, women who are used to having the world revolve around their every whim. This film is so awful that boredom overcame me within the first 10 minutes. I now clearly understand why this film bombed at the box office. Was this a Black film to be enjoyed only by those of Afro-American descent? Hell no! Everybody of all races, gender, and diverse philosophical background stayed away from "Beloved." The reason had nothing to do with a difffernce of cultural perspective. "Beloved" was simply a pathetic attempt at film making. " (4/21/00)

gillianlover@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "Oprah Winfrey is spellbinding. The visual qualities of the film, the fine performances by all involved, and the emotional, powerful storyline make this one of the best films of the year. Jonathan Demme has done it again." (12/27/99)

lhjuicy@gateway.net gives this movie  stars. (12/26/99)

Christy Wichong gives this movie  stars: "well Ithought the movie was just fantastic because oprah portraed a grate person in the film and no matter what people am glad she stared in it. who ever said she is a bad actress is sadly misstaken because she looked like she new what she was doing. I have always been a fan of her work. she is a vary kind hearted person .and i hope to see her agian in more movies" (11/21/99)

mhtuskege@gateway.net gives this movie  stars: "I liked the movie. I understood that it had its roots in slavery. There were a lot of pretty scenes and the effects were nice. The only part that bothered was when the strange daughter kept asking Danny Glover to touch her. It was embarrasing." (10/27/99)

nell40plus@aol.com gives this movie  stars: "A part inside of me was moved deeply, as I felt compassion for her. She was forced into this behavior because the fear of the suffering of her children whom she loved more than life itself. This is only one very small example of what slavery did to one inocent individual and her family she lost because of it. And then she was haunted all of her life because of the fear of seeing her children disrespected, beat, raped and what ever else. The question is...What would you do? Send your children off to suffer as you did? Or take their life?" (10/13/99)

jazzalive@cs.com gives this movie  stars: "I saw the movie the first day it came out. I had not read the book but it moved me deeply. Most of my friends did not want to see it because they don't understand what spiritualizm is. African Americans have not studied our history of slavery and really don't want to. This event in one's life was so traumatic that she manifested the spirit of Beloved. It was one of the few attempts to bring to the screen the hard realities of slavery and things that happened. History tells us that slave mothers killed and aborted their young a lot. It was done out of love so that their children could escape the horrors of slavery. This movie was profound in every way and needs to be watched and understood. The acting was superb! I thank Ophra for her sincere effort of trying to tell a story that is very difficult to take in. I only hope that we as a people will study slavery and learn the effects that it had on us that we are still not ready to face. Many of our problems stem from it. Yes, it is painful but we must face it." (9/3/99)

Lissette71@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "Compeling Great Movie!!!, this is a "must see"in everyones list as it takes you to whay is really happening, and it puts you in perspective. Well done Ophra!!!" (3/6/99)

Sharla gives this movie  stars: "I started the film,at the scene where Ophra was being raped,a brutle scene.The movie was very deep,I thought Ophra played a very real character. I will see the movie again to process the film." (1/5/99)

jjack25@alaweb.com gives this movie  star: "Granted I was forced to see the movie with a group of Oparh fans, but it was still a big mess of a movie. Can anybody count how many flashbacks there were? Did all ex-slaves own their own houses? Oparh should not of cast herself in the lead role, she's not nearly talented enough to pull it off. Also despite her huge public push for the movie, it tanked at the box office. Enough said." (12/2/98)

Calyxxx@yahoo.com gives this movie  star: "I thought that Beloved was toooo long. I got bored the first 10 minutes and was disgusted the last 20 hours of the boring flick. Oprah is not credible as a film actress. I also did not like the images of Oprah ad Danny Glover making love. The film made me nauseous. I bet Tony Morrison is totallly disappointed. I know I am. I am glad this movie received the bad reviews that it did get." (11/22/98)

Aurora Canan Arteaga gives this movie  stars: "Well,the starts that i gave to this movie not are with a real comments ,because i didn't see yet the movie bucause i leave in Mexico and this movie don't be proyected here yet ,but i hear the comments no E! Entretainment Television,and they tell that Ophra had a good play in her own movie and i apreciate her play sceen on the movie . !CONGRATULACIONS OPHRA¡" (11/7/98)

Nita gives this movie  stars: "The hidden messages of how a person who nurses traumatic passages in life by holding onto the pain and hurt and builds a life around those spirits were very clear to me. We all do what Sethe does, whether it is recouping (or not) from some situation of life that makes such an impact on us that we cannot let go (i.e., divorce, jilted by a lover, death of a loved one, anger, guilt, etc.) The movie was great and haunting in the story it had to tell. Many folks may not understand or "get it", but just look around and see those things that have happened in your own lives that just happen to "haunt" you. And when those 'hauntings' take mild form, whether in a mental or physical illness, or "bad luck", or major form such as terror, fear, pain, then you kinda understand the heart of "Beloved", a little more." (11/3/98)