Movie Review

Harriet is not the great honor that Harriet Tubman deserves

Stories centered on historical African American figures have been few and far between in the history of cinema. Even when they are told, they tend to come well past the time when comparable white figures are celebrated in film form. Harriet Tubman, one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad, is finally getting her tribute with Harriet.

Directed and co-written by Kasi Lemmons, the film introduces us to Araminta Ross (Cynthia Erivo), who chafes under her owners, who she believes had promised her and her family their freedom. After living her entire life as a slave in Dorchester County, Maryland, she becomes determined to escape to the North.

With the help of a few well-connected people, she makes it to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and changes her name to Harriet Tubman. However, she soon becomes discouraged by what she perceives as a lack of urgency in rescuing other slaves by the local abolitionist society led by William Still (Leslie Odom Jr.). Taking matters into her own hands, she returns to the South many times to rescue hundreds of slaves, in the process gaining the nickname of “Moses” because of her preternatural ability to evade capture.

Lemmons and co-writer Gregory Allen Howard take great pains to honor the life and achievements of Tubman, but it seems they may have tried a bit too hard to be reverent. Instead of a straight-up drama, the film is treated as a type of adventure, with danger around every turn. There’s no denying the inherent riskiness of Tubman’s endeavors, but the manner in which they are shown actually diminishes what she was able to do.

Instead of narrowing the focus and showing intimate details of how the Underground Railroad worked or the specifics what Tubman did, the filmmakers give both the broad strokes treatment. Consequently, you never get a true sense of the threat she and the other slaves faced. One of her owners, Gideon (Joe Alwyn), is portrayed as an ever-present boogeyman, and other moments that would otherwise be tense turn into movie clichés with lines that elicit eye rolls.

Unparalleled bravery was a major reason why Tubman was able to accomplish everything she did, but in the filmmakers give equal or more credit for her escape and subsequent rescues to literal visions she would have of the future. While Tubman had a head injury that resulted in her having visions that she considered to be signs from God, the method in which the film shows the visions is somewhat hokey. A story such as Tubman’s needs no extraneous embellishment; it is inherently interesting and dramatic.

None of this is the fault of Erivo, who gives an earnest and compelling performance. Erivo, who won a Tony Award for her role in the stage version of The Color Purple, has quickly established herself as an actor to watch on the big screen. Strong supporting roles by Janelle Monae, Odom Jr., Clarke Peters, and Vondie Curtis-Hall prop up an otherwise lackluster script.

A momentous figure like Harriet Tubman deserves to be honored in every way possible, including on the $20 bill. Unfortunately, Harriet is just a so-so celebration of her life, delving too much into storytelling tricks instead of letting Tubman’s story lead the way.

Cynthia Erivo in Harriet.

Cynthia Erivo in Harriet

Photo by Glen Wilson / Focus Features

Cynthia Erivo in Harriet.

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 14 best things to do in Dallas this weekend

Toadies

Photo by Steven Visneau

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As the calendar flips from April to May, this weekend in and around Dallas will include an interesting variety of events. Choices include four concerts in multiple genres, three local theater productions, a symphony concert, a guitar festival, an acclaimed international comedian, two dance events, an arts festival, and the final days of a notable art exhibition.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. If you want more options, check out our calendar for an even longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, April 30

Los Lobos in concert
For over 50 years, the band Los Lobos has stood at the forefront of the Latin music genre, dabbling in rock, country, and more. They rose out of East Los Angeles in the late '70s and got their big break playing several of Ritchie Valens' hits for the movie La Bamba. They have released 17 albums in their career, most recently Native Sons in 2021. They'll play at Longhorn Ballroom.

Undermain Theatre presents Saturn Return
Tori and Franklin reunite with a group of friends in their suburban hometown where they all grew up as "theater kids," to attend the funeral of one of their friends. On the cusp of turning 30, they seek solace in each other’s company as they compare experiences of growing pains and uncertainties about growing up and the way ahead on the path to adulthood. The production runs through May 24 at Undermain Theatre in Dallas.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Stravinsky’s The Firebird"
Music Director Fabio Luisi will step into Stravinsky’s shoes as he conducts a replica of the 1946 concert, when the great composer led the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in these very works — an inspired program of quintessentially Russian music. The program will also include Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony and Glinka's Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila. There will be four performances through Sunday at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Uptown Players presents Broadway Our Way: Fractured Fairy Tales
Uptown Players' annual fundraiser, Broadway Our Way, returns with a whimsical new theme that turns “happily ever after” delightfully upside down. Welcome to Broadway Our Way: Fractured Fairy Tales, a deliciously twisted musical adventure where Broadway show tunes meet fairy tales gone rogue. There will be four performances through Sunday at Kalita Humphreys Theater.

Friday, May 1

Dallas International Guitar Festival
The Dallas International Guitar Festival is the largest and oldest guitar show in the world, blending musicians, fans, collectors, and celebrities together into one huge musical extravaganza. Visitors can buy, sell, trade, or just browse guitars and accessories, and there will also be performances by more than 50 local, regional, and national bands on the festival’s four music stages. The event takes place through Sunday at Dallas Market Hall.

Improv Addison presents Bassem Youssef
Comedian Bassem Youssef, dubbed the Jon Stewart of the Arab World, was the host of popular TV show Al-Bernameg, which was the first of its kind political satire show in the Middle East. Named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2013, the physician-turned-comedian will perform five times through Sunday at Improv Addison.

Theatre Arlington presents Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer — in case he or she decides to strike again. The production runs through May 17 at Theatre Arlington.

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Compagnie Marie Chouinard
Compagnie Marie Chouinard is back with Magnificat, Chouinard’s latest creation, along with her legendary Rite of Spring. Chouinard’s choreography is visually stunning and elegantly musical, letting audiences see the music unfold right in front of them. There will be performances on Friday and Saturday at Moody Performance Hall.

Texas Ballet Theater presents Swan Lake
In Swan Lake, love and fate collide in a tale of enchantment and betrayal. Audiences will watch the White Swan embody innocence and grace while the fierce Black Swan dazzles with diamond-like brilliance. With opulent sets and newly refurbished costumes, the production promises a journey into one of the most widely acclaimed classical ballets. There will be four performances through Sunday at Winspear Opera House.

Saturday, May 2

Cottonwood Art Festival
The semi-annual Cottonwood Art Festival, which has been a part of Richardson life for over 50 years, features over 240 artists exhibiting their museum-quality work. The artists compete in 14 categories, including mixed media, ceramics, digital, drawings/pastels, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, metalwork, painting, photography, sculpture, and wood. There will also be performances by local bands. The festival takes place on May 2 and 3 at Cottonwood Park in Richardson.

Toadies in concert
It's always a good day when Fort Worth originals Toadies take the stage again. While the band has only had a minimal impact on the national music stage, they've been beloved locally ever since their 1994 debut album, Rubberneck. They've gone on to release seven more albums in their career, including their new album, The Charmer. They'll play at Longhorn Ballroom.

Kid Cudi in concert
Kid Cudi has been a mainstay at the top of the hip hop charts since his debut in 2009. Collaborating with big stars like Kanye West, Eminem, Travis Scott, Pharrell Williams, and more, Kid Cudi is one of the most recognizable performers in the genre. He'll play at Dos Equis Pavilion as part of The Rebel Ragers Tour in support of his 2025 album, Free. He'll be joined by special guests Big Boi and A-Trak.

Sunday, May 3

Dallas Museum of Art presents "Constellations: Contemporary Jewelry" closing day
Sunday will be the final day to view "Constellations: Contemporary Jewelry" at the Dallas Museum of Art. The exhibition is a showcase of more than 350 works drawn from the museum’s extensive holdings of contemporary jewelry, one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of its kind in the United States. The exhibition illustrates the depth, breadth, and diversity of contemporary jewelry design, exploring the myriad ways artists have approached the creation of these wearable works of art.

Maren Morris in concert
Arlington native Maren Morris had been one of the more celebrated country artists over the past decade, with each of her three albums between 2016 and 2022 going to either No. 1 or No. 2 on the Billboard Country chart. But in 2023, she announced that she was moving away from country, and her latest album — Dreamsicle in 2025 — leaned much more to the contemporary pop side. Fans will likely get a bit of both sides of Morris when she plays at Majestic Theatre.

Toadies

Photo by Steven Visneau

Toadies will play at Longhorn Ballroom on May 2.

music concerts theater symphony festivals comedy dance exhibitions-visual-arts museums event-planner

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