The advertising premise of In My Country – based on the book Country of My Skull by Antjie Krog – is the debate on race issues between an African-American and a Caucasian, usually with the latter being underwhelmed by the former.  What makes it delicious is when the African-American is Samuel L. Jackson.  (As I write this, the images of Jules raising his voice in philosophical thumping ring in my mind.)  What is just as delicious is the story: human rights abuse ala racial bigotry exacted by whites upon blacks.

South Africa is a beautiful country… when seen from afar.  But on close-up, it is an ugly picture of conflict decades old perpetrated in the name of apartheid.  In the opening credit sequence, extreme wide shots of South Africa landscape cut back and forth with medium shots of violence by government troops on people make a note of the contradiction.  Two years after apartheid is toppled in 1994, an organization called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is established to investigate the abuses of human rights during the old (apartheid) regime.  Victims and next-of-kins (of those that died) are given an opportunity to face their perpetrators and tell their own stories.  Similarly, the perpetrators have an opportunity to seek amnesty if they can prove that they were acting under orders.

Which brings us to the two leads of the story, both of whom are coincidentally ethnic minorities: Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche) the Afrikaner poet reporting for South Africa state radio and NPR, and Langston Whitfield (Samuel L. Jackson) the African-American reporter for Washington Post.  Besides their obvious ethnic differences, they also have opposing views of the TRC hearings.  Anna believes the truth “shall set us free” but Langston believes that the series of hearings is a way for perpetrators to escape without punishment.  On a cinematic standpoint, his point of view represents the viewer: new to the land, customs and culture, with pre-conceived notions of how the guilty should be punished, and skeptical of the TRC and their way of reconciliation.

Naturally, Anna and Langston trade jabs with Shaft… I mean Langston getting the upper hand every time.  No one delivers racially-charged retorts with exacting incision like Samuel L., and for a while the film feels like it is all about him delivering those retorts with exacting incision. (“I’m Afrikaan, “says Anna. “Not in my book,” replies Langston.)  He does not get as much close-ups as Binoche and that is a very good thing.  Binoche, in a seemingly mannerist performance, does not have a lot to show from within.  That is just the half of it.  The other half is in the perpetual close-ups Boorman gives her every time her character cries.  After the third crying spell, it gets irritating. 

As with any screen initial head-butting, it usually turns into casual friendship and then into romance. In My Country is no exception.  Anna and Langston eventually take their business to the bed, which unfortunately puts an end to their conflict and thereby taking away all the fun.  Also unfortunate is the conventional and dull romance that, according to screenwriter Ann Peacock, is written for the film to mirror the perpetrators seeking forgiveness for the wrongs they had done with her own experience as the perpetrating adulterer seeking forgiveness from her husband.  Nothing wrong with that except its brisk handling and the attention on the TRC hearings collectively leave little room to care for that little episode.

One thing In My Country alludes to is that many of the perpetrators are successful in obtaining amnesty.  In the series of TRC hearings with the perpetrators in attendance, only one is criminally charged.  This one is De Jager (Brendan Gleeson), a one-powerful figure in exacting cruel and unusual punishment now abandoned by the apartheid authorities that sponsored him.  Langston’s interview of him is incredibly intense, and one which Boorman does not establish a sense of time.  When it occurs is unclear, what is important is where it leads to – Langston and Anna’s discovery of the ‘house of torture’.  For dramatic pacing and story direction, Boorman divides the interview scene into several segments to cross-cut with the ongoing story.  In-between the segments, Langston’s relationship with Anna is developed while he continues to maintain dominance over her on race issues.  However, he eventually gets his own feathers ruffled – the same way as Anna by him – when Jager psyches him out.

The South African characters have depth.  Anna’s reporter-assistant Dumi Mkhalipi (Menzi 'Ngubs' Ngubane) is easy-going, smart, resourceful and full of personality. (He is the subject of the final plot twist, which – despite the shock value – lack the legs to stand on.) Anna’s family farm caretaker Anderson (Sam Ngakane), one of the TRC testimony bearers, has an affable countenance.  In his own way, so does TRC moderator the Reverend Mzondo (Owen Sejake). 

On the flip side, the Afrikaans characters come across a little more than cardboard cutouts.  De Jager’s demeanor cries psychotic killer even before hearing him speak, to the point that it is all there is to him.  (Not to take anything away from Gleeson’s performance; he is effectively scary.)  Anna’s father Willem (Louis Van Niekerk) is a mere representation of stiff intolerance (towards blacks), while her brother – who shot a thief in the opening scene – is a mixed bag but ultimately proves to be no better than De Jager.  Among Anna’s circle of friends is an attorney whose affinity for racial bigotry is shown by condoning rape as an interrogative measure.