The Brother from Another Planet
Dir: John Sayles
1984
*****
John Sayles' The Brother from Another Planet is a fascinating look at the assimilation of an immigrant, in this case, an Alien disguised as a Black man who crash lands in 1984's Harlem. It's a thought-provoking look at how an immigrant is treated in what is essentially a country of immigrants and what life is like for a young man living in a difficult area. Joe Morten's performance as the mute Alien is one of my very favorites of all time. He says so much without uttering a word, some of what is happening is open to interpretation but most of the time complicated issues are laid out simply, subtly and poignantly through Morten's brilliant body language and facial expressions. The film does get a little flippant at times that takes away from some of the serious issues explored and some of the humourous scenes I thought were out of place but all is made up for by Morten. It's one of the best films of the decade, never thought of when 80's films are discussed but in my opinion, this is the archetypal movie of the 80's and a generation.