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Mister Johnson

Play trailer Poster for Mister Johnson PG-13 1990 1h 41m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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76% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In 1920s Africa, young black accountant Mister Johnson (Maynard Eziashi) is talented enough to get an accounting job at the English colonial offices, but he quickly learns that his race prevents him from advancing to the respectable kind of position he desires. Hoping to impress his superior, Harry Rudbeck (Pierce Brosnan), he decides to fudge some numbers and save his boss thousands. When his plan backfires, however, Johnson desperately turns to even more illegal measures in order to succeed.
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Mister Johnson

Critics Reviews

View All (17) Critics Reviews
Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Beresford, adapting Joyce Cary's 1939 novel, looks at the psychological relationships inherent in colonialism with some subtlety. Rated: B- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Beresford and writer William Boyd have delivered a film strangely devoid of emotion and lacking a clear point of view. Jul 28, 2008 Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times The film works well as far as it goes, but some of the story's emotional power is denatured or lost. Aug 30, 2004 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) The film is very opaque, visually as well as morally. [Full review in Spanish] Jan 5, 2023 Full Review Matt Brunson Creative Loafing Eziashi delivers an exquisite performance. Rated: 3/4 Oct 3, 2015 Full Review TV Guide To both the humane Rudbeck, intelligently played by Pierce Brosnan, and the abusive drunkard Gollup, Johnson is a cipher. Rated: 3/4 Aug 12, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (11) audience reviews
Steve D Uncomfortable and not worth the struggle. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Based on the book by Joyce Carey and from the director of Driving Miss Daisy. It's West Africa 1923. Maynard Eziashi is an accountant, Clark Johnson under British colonial rule. He's talented and has enough of an upbeat personality. Of course being black prevents any chance for him to move up in the world. Pierce Brosnan is his superior, Harry Rudbeck. Hoping he can make a good impression Johnson decides to cut corners and alter some numbers. He promises to make the villagers rich by building a road through the countryside of Nigeria. Unfortunately all that avoiding the complications will come back to bite him in more ways than one. Not to mention that the funds will run out fast if they can't complete it. It's also worrisome that Johnson could be letting the English customs overcome his living style rather than actually acting like it. Why should all people be civilized?, do all enjoy it?, we shouldn't have to cut corners to get by Looks into the psychological relationships during this time of colonial rule. The African landscape is beautiful and Eziashi's performance is so lively. A great sense of time and place. Even if the ending is sad how things turn out it's Brosnan and Eziashi who make it work. Mixing an over reliance of currency and attempting to act like a more civilized populace can go too far. But you can't blame one person for attempting to blend in with the best of intentions. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Maynard Eziashi gives a great, charismatic performance. Feels very tragic. Good script and story. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member This film reminded me somewhat of "The Deceivers", which also starred Pierce Brosnan in the role of a British Colonial official. An interesting character study. The ending was a surprise. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member This movie is another version of Uncle Tom's cabin just in the early 1920's and in Nigeria, Africa. Mister Johnson (Nigerian man) Has NEVER been to England and calls England his home! This is another brain washing of colonialism that spread throughout Africa. Other Africans putting down their own people for the so called establish group that took over Nigeria that claim to help for the better of there country. This is another lesson to be learned by all nations, never put your own people down just because you made it in another country's culture. It can back fire on you. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member How did I end up watching this? But there again, how did somebody with Pierce Brosnan's pedigree end up appearing in it? My excuse is that “Pete” from my girlfriends work purchased it; maybe Pierce Brosnan needed a new swimming pool? Back to the review. Mister Johnson is a local that thinks he is English and dresses and speaks impeccably. To live the lifestyle, he needs to “duck and dive” to keep up. The films one redeeming feature is the great views of Africa; the landscape, the people and the animals. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Mister Johnson

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1920s Africa, young black accountant Mister Johnson (Maynard Eziashi) is talented enough to get an accounting job at the English colonial offices, but he quickly learns that his race prevents him from advancing to the respectable kind of position he desires. Hoping to impress his superior, Harry Rudbeck (Pierce Brosnan), he decides to fudge some numbers and save his boss thousands. When his plan backfires, however, Johnson desperately turns to even more illegal measures in order to succeed.
Director
Bruce Beresford
Producer
Michael Fitzgerald
Screenwriter
William Boyd
Production Co
Avenue Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 18, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$11.1K
Runtime
1h 41m
Sound Mix
Surround
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