A failed look at race relations

"Freedomland" is a strange Hollywood product, but lately, not a rare one. It's three or four different movies masquerading as one wannabe box office smash. The trailer of the film, though murky, would lead you to believe it is a thriller with an interesting plot and human drama. The film doesn't shy away from those things. It's just that it's bold in too many other areas to make it work. \nIn the opening scene of the film, a haggard-looking Julianne Moore stumbles into a police station with bloody hands and a frantic plea for help. She claims her car was stolen while driving though a run-down urban part of town. Later, she tells Detective Lorenzo Council (Samuel L. Jackson) that her son was in the back seat.\nIt should be noted that both Moore and Jackson deliver the best performances they can with the material they have been given. There are several scenes in the film that work in and of themselves simply because of the good intentions of the actors. The supporting players are just as well-intentioned and reliable. Ron Eldard plays an embittered cop and proves he is versatile and capable of handling melodrama. Edie Falco is, of course, compelling and understated as a social worker who sticks her nose into the situation. \nIt is necessary to understand the main problem with the film and plot. Like the far-superior "Crash," "Freedomland" attempts to make a sweeping political statement about race relations in our society. Moore's character Brenda implicates her attacker as a young black man. This accusation, compounded with the crime taking place in the projects, incites racial tension in the community. \nBrenda's white suburban neighbors are angry that the child was kidnapped in the projects by a black man and see this as a symptom of crime having gone unchecked by the police. The black community is angered that the entire police force has mobilized to find the child, when many black youths have died in the same housing project with less enthusiasm from the cops to find the perpetrators. These problems are important and could have provided a compelling theme had they been handled properly. Unfortunately, the film has too much on its mind to pay enough attention to them. Conversely, when it does pay attention to these problems, we think the writers and director are finally coming around, and then we are mistakenly introduced to another plot thread. \nWithout giving the ending away, it is important to note that "big twist" endings are becoming tiresome and increasingly predictable. The twist ending here is a cheat. It will be misinterpreted by many as a testament to the darkest side of our society and of human nature. If the film had taken a more realistic stance here, the ending may have worked, and even compelled viewers to contemplate its overarching questions. Instead, it goes for the cheap thrills, which is usually a death sentence for any film.