I always avoided this film cause it seemed boring. and it is! boring!
Cinemas
Directed by Sydney Pollack
Out of Africa
A spectacular, slow-burn history.
History
Romance
Drama
1985
2h 41m
Tells the life story of Danish author Karen Blixen, who at the beginning of the 20th century moved to Africa to build a new life for herself. The film is based on her 1937 autobiographical novel.
Where to watch
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Cast & crew
6What people say
Out of all the Academy Award Best Picture winners I have seen, this is clearly the one that was released in 1985.
There's some wonderful cinematography in Out of Africa, though that is easily achieved when afforded such beautiful surroundings. Meryl Streep is excellent in the film too, though that is to be expected. Ok cool, now I've finished writing about the all the good things. Everything else sucks.Out of Africa is not once interesting. It is one of the most boring films I have ever seen. My brain was so lacking in stimulation that I could probably have died midway through watching Out of Africa and there would no apparent difference in brain activity. The entire film is just a bunch of insufferable, interchangeable rich white people moving to Africa and being boring. There must exist interesting stories about the people who colonised Africa and the situation they occupy in history, but this film does not contain any of them.Beyond the fact that Out of Africa is a dull and lifeless romance, which assumes we would care about the personal issues of privileged idiots who debate about marriage and love for almost three hours, the film is just a bit gross. African people are just used as exotic props, and their exploitation treated as incidental. Their lives are shown as harmonious and happy so we never consider the power dynamic at play. They are all shown as ignorant and foolish and dependent on white saviours. Nothing is more offensive than the symbolic social victory presented at the end, where a rich woman is finally allowed, just this once, to order a whiskey from a men-only bar. There is nothing noble about a single exception being made to sexist norms. There is something even less noble about celebrating social change when an entire continent is still subjugated and ruled over by these elites who are just this once benevolent enough to let a woman drink at their bar. Like yuck. Plus the film celebrates and glamourises the hunting of wild and endangered animals. So, yeah, fuck that.
Common questions
What is Out of Africa about?+
A Danish baroness attempts to manage a coffee plantation in colonial Kenya while navigating a complicated romantic relationship with a free-spirited hunter.
Who directed Out of Africa?+
Sydney Pollack directed this 1985 film, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Is Out of Africa worth watching?+
The film is highly regarded for its lush cinematography and iconic musical score, though its slow pace may appeal more to fans of sweeping period romances.
