A Good Man in Africa

A movie that satirically mixes British diplomatic idiocy and Third World corruption should have the fizzy kick of a gin and tonic. Unfortunately, A Good Man in Africa,
the latest film by Australian director Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy), serves up flat, warm cola as it meanders pointlessly to its obvious conclusion. The movie's attempts at dry, cynical wit have all the bite of a toothless old dog, while its jabs at post-colonial African politics consist mostly of stereotypical English attitudes toward any country that has too many consonants in its name.

Colin Friels plays a mid-level English diplomat, a secretary to the West African nation of Kinjanja. He's a burned-out government employee who devotes most of his time to sex and drinking, activities he interrupts only with occasional bursts of sarcastic monologue about everyone he knows. His embassy is the kind that, normally, would be most noted for the staff's soiled white suits. In this case, however, it receives a bit more respect due to the fact the Kinjanja possesses rich oil reserves along its shoreline.

Friels is sent to work on Professor Adekunle (Louis Gossett Jr.), the man most likely to emerge as president in the country's upcoming election. Likewise, Adekunle goes to work on Friels, for the seemingly noble scholar has a bad case of dictatorial ambition. He wants to own the country — literally. The only thing standing in his way is the movie title's "good man" — Sean Connery, who plays a Scottish version of Mother Theresa with a nine-par handicap.

Beresford, who forayed into Africa previously with the equally empty-headed film Mr. Johnson, seems to think that his Academy Award for Driving Miss Daisy made him an expert on race relations. Unfortunately, he doesn't know enough to quit when he's not ahead.