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Lunch » Tags » Movies » Reviews » Last Brickmaker In America

Last Brickmaker In America

1 rating: 5.0

A movie directed by Gregg Champion

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Tags: Movies, Drama Movies, Dramas

Cast: Fred Griffith

Director: Gregg Champion

Release Date: 2008

MPAA Rating: Unrated

1 review about Last Brickmaker In America

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Last Brickmaker in America - 2001

Dec 1, 2008

by SusiDee34
posted in Movie Hype

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The Bottom Line:

“The old man had hands like a farmer’s
was raised on labor and ceaseless;
He made bricks from the mountain’s clay,”

Dennis Siluk

This is a beautiful and peaceful movie centered in a small town in Georgia. A story of how progress doesn't always mean production or quality, and how tradition and family values are worth more than anything money can buy.

Two things occur simultaneously in the beginning of the movie, setting the tone of the production. Our brick maker, Sidney Poitier, doesn't enter the scene until after the changes have been set in motion but he takes over from that point and runs the movie. In the first place, the small school wants to become larger. Outside sources are contacted about making the bricks to match the original working of the building. At the same time, little Danny Potter, 13, is immersed in a life of parental fighting and constant bickering. He's simply looking for attention, but he finds a sorry way to do it. He spray paints the school exterior.

Since his father is the construction foreman, Danny finds himself neck deep in mud and muck, hand digging the foundation trench for the new building, as punishment for his deed.

On the outskirts of town, a simple and quiet man known as Henry Cobb lives on a small farm. He doesn't have much but has been content for most of his life, living peacefully with his wife of many years. When she passes away, Henry basically shuts down, withdrawing from his friends and the town. More importantly, he stops working. For 57 years Henry has worked from dawn to dusk, 6 days a week, hand molding and drying the clay bricks that are used on every building in the town. He was to make the bricks for the new addition at the school, but his pain and loneliness have stopped him in his tracks.

Danny, full of that special curiosity young boys possess, follows Henry home one day. His constant companionship urges Henry to start work once again and changes his life as well.

This movie is complete in its simplicity. It didn't need anything to make it special because the small band of people involved provided all of that. The Last Brickmaker in America was written by Richard Leder. Director Gregg Champion took his group of select actors and brought a calm peacefulness to this movie that made it entirely enjoyable to watch.

Sidney Poitier was joined by Piper Laurie, Bernie Casey and Cody Newton, as Danny, among others, to provide this small 84 minute movie, carrying a PG rating. It won one award, Art Directors Guild, for excellence in production design. It is entirely character driven and well worth the time to watch it. Some of the dialogue was full of humor as well as knowledge. I particularly enjoyed a piece between Henry and Danny, as Henry looked at the graffiti on the exterior of the school:

Henry: I can't understand why a boy as smart and thoughtful as you would do such a thing.
Danny: I was mad.
Henry: At the school?
Danny: At my parents.
Henry: Then why didn't you spray paint them?

A very good movie that deserves a watch.

Thanks,
Susi
This is my submission into the Lean-n-Mean VII hosted by sleeper54

Recommended:
Yes

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