December 22, 2000 -- "The Visit" is a prison drama of a different stripe. It shows us the effect of a prisoner on his family and the family's effect on him. The film avoids simplistic perspectives for ambiguity.

Hill Harper of "The Skulls" dazzles as Alex Waters, a young man imprisoned for a rape he says he didn't commit. Veteran actor Billy Dee Williams of "Batman") plays Alex's father, Henry. Marla Gibbs of "Meteor Man") plays Alex's mother, Lois Waters. Obba Babatundé of "That Thing You Do" plays Alex's brother, Tony Waters. Phylicia Rashad plays Alex's psychiatrist. Talia Shire also appears in the film.

A defiant Alex persuades Tony to get his parents to visit him in prison for the first time in five years. He is confrontational when his father arrives, accusing him of abusing his mother. There is a fight. His father doesn't believe in Alex's innocence. Alex's mother is angry because of her husband's stubbornness about refusing to visit. We also learned that Alex's father refused to help with his legal expenses during the trial. He feels Alex must take responsibility for his own actions.

Everything is told from Alex's perspective, but gradually we begin to suspect that maybe Alex's father is right and Alex is wrong. We never really learn the truth about Alex's crime, or about his accusations about his father. Instead, we see a gradual change in Alex. He stops being defiant and he becomes more concerned about others than himself. He seems to finally grow up and regain his humanity.

Director Jordan Walker Pearlman weaves his tale in an unusual way. The action is not really linear. Instead, there are a multitude of fade-ins and fade-outs. There are an endless series of visits, and a parole board hearing. There are also some interesting fantasy sequences. The result is a series of distinct moments in time. The story construction is way outside of the Hollywood mainstream. Pearlman has his own production company, called Dawa Movies, which gives him the artistic freedom to pursue new forms of storytelling. The overall effect is interesting, even if it is a bit stagey (it was adapted from a play). We get a rare glimpse into the workings of a family, into the psyche of the prisoner, and into the penal system, without the usual clichés.

Harper does a great job as the enigmatic Alex, and Billy Dee Williams is powerful as the stubborn, proud father. The other supporting cast members are also effective. The drama is very powerful, with layers of complexity seldom seen in this subject matter. In that regard, it puts the relatively simplistic "The Shawshank Redemption" to shame. There are no simple solutions, to easy answers, just more questions. This film rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.