Backbencher

Let me begin by saying that I have been an Anthony Hopkins fan since I saw the movie Instinct. A terrific movie if you have not seen it already.
In this movie, Burt Munro (Hopkins) is a sixty seven year old man who travels half way around the world to follow his dream of making his motorcycle the fastest Indian on earth. He spends most of his time modifying his beloved 1920s Indian motorcycle, and occasionally racing it against modern opponents. Burt is loved in his community for his friendly and charming personality; and for having been featured in Popular Mechanics magazine (May 1957 p6) for having the fastest motorcycle in Australia and New Zealand. However, that recognition is contrasted by his exasperated neighbors, who are fed up with his un-neighborly habits: like urinating on his lemon tree every morning, neglecting his yardwork, and most of all waking up before sunrise to rev his bike. Before Burt is scheduled to start his journey to the United States, he is diagnosed with serious heart problems and is told that his racing days are over. For 25 years he has dreamt of going to Bonneville and racing his Indian, so he ignores his doctor's advice to stay at home. Burt leaves for the United States, with most people doubting his ability to succeed, but Tom, the young boy who lives next door, believes in Burt. When Burt arrives in Los Angeles he experiences bureaucracy, skepticism and coldness of big city people. It is his blunt but gregarious nature which overcomes each hurdle. He wins over the hardened motel clerk, a transvestite named Tina, who assists him in clearing customs and helps him in buying a car. The car salesman allows Burt to use his shop to make a trailer and offers him a job. Burt then starts his long trip to Utah.
Along the way, Burt meets many people, including a Native American who aids him when his trailer fails, a woman named Ada who helps him repair his trailer and becomes his lover, and an Air Force pilot who is on a leave from his military service in Vietnam. Burt arrives at Bonneville in time for Speed Week, but is initially denied participation because he has failed to register in advance and his 40-year-old bike fails the technical and safety inspections. After winning the sympathy of other participants and officials, Burt is allowed to compete. After some practice runs and fine tuning, Burt sets a new record of 201 mph on his official run. The movie ends with Burt calling young Tom to proudly announce that his bike is "The World's Fastest Indian".It's really a David & Goliath story. Burt is comfortable in his own place, but he also wants to go out into the big world where you put yourself up against the biggest and the best to see what you are really made of. The story is quite personal and intimate because you never know what will happen next. That's really what's so endearing about this film. It's very human.
Roger Donaldson is an Australian born New Zealand film director. He is a perfectionist and it shows in the movie.
What I did not like about the movie was the portrayal of America as being a dirty place. I guess that's the privilege of making a movie is saying what you would like to say. That must also be a theme for the movie; The David & Goliath story I mentioned earlier. America is the big fast world that hardly bends to anyone or anything and Burt is the lion tamer coming in and making people realize that being nice is the better way to be. A very Kiwi way of looking at things.
Most of the character that Hopkins drew from Burt Munro came from the interview Munro had with Dick Rosetta of the Salt Lake Tribune. It seems a lot of lines also came from this interview. The boy, Tom, who supposedly lived next door actually never was. It was intended to be a representation of Donaldson years later after he had befriended Burt. Tim Shadbolt, who played Frank in the movie, is the current mayor of Invercargill City and well known amongst New Zealanders for his smile and enthusiastic approach to seemingly everything.
Burt Munro never had a lemon tree. That was a nod to the director's father.
All in all I thought it was a very empowering movie, one well worth watching.