 |
| Courtesy of Focus |
(Rated R for language throughout, including racial epithets, and for disturbing/violent material and some sexual references.)
The cast: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace and Laura Harrier.
What it’s about: Loosely based on a true story, Ron Stallworth (Washington) becomes Colorado Springs’ first black police officer in the early 1970s. Although met with hostility at first, he gradually earns his superiors’ respect – especially when he establishes a connection with the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. He’s eventually invited to join the hate group’s inner circle, which presents an obvious problem. Since he can’t meet them in person, Stallworth’s partner (Driver) pretends to be him in face-to-face meetings. Together, the two gain knowledge of the KKK’s criminal activity and its plans for deadly violence.
The good: No one has ever called Spike Lee subtle. The iconic filmmaker prefers a hacksaw to a scalpel, which is one of the things I love about him – you never have to wonder where he stands. With a narrative this incendiary, it would’ve been a mistake for him to suddenly change course.
Lee is at the top of his game with this story set in the recent past but unquestionably about today’s headlines. It’s the best movie he’s made since Inside Man or 25th Hour. Far from the comedy being sold by its misleading trailers, BlacKkKlansman is a powerful, angry film that argues white supremacist groups never went away. They just learned how to dress up their hate with nicer clothes and more socially acceptable language.
The director doesn’t even need great actors or an incisive screenplay to make that point for him – although he certainly utilizes those elements to great success. Instead, he rests his case in the last few moments using heartbreaking cell phone video and infuriating news footage to drive the central message home. As the credits rolled, I staggered out of the theater feeling like I’d just been punched in the stomach.
Aside from Chayse Irvin’s fantastic cinematography and Terence Blanchard’s hauntingly effective score, the greatest special effects are the excellent performances. I was unfamiliar with Washington before this film, but he certainly proves that he inherited his father Denzel’s formidable acting chops. (There’s a close physical resemblance, but the voice is unmistakable.)
Driver also delivers strong work as Stallworth’s Jewish partner, who finds his role in the undercover operation is affecting his way of thinking about his own heritage. But the most chilling performance comes from Grace as hatemonger David Duke. Rather than portraying him as a scenery-chewing monster, Grace goes the other way – he makes him an amiable businessman. He absolutely nails the idea of the banality of evil.
The not-so-good: Viewers who walk in expecting a boundary-pushing comedy in the vein of Blazing Saddles or the legendary Chapelle's Show sketch about the black white supremacist are in for a shock. But that’s on the marketing, not Lee or the movie. Also, a cursory bit of research shows that screenwriters Lee, Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott took a significant amount of creative liberties with the story. That includes inventing unnecessary characters, changing details and ramping up the stakes when the real story was more than suspenseful enough.
Grade: A-
Support the Girls
 |
| Courtesy of Magnolia |
(Rated R for language including sexual references, and brief nudity. Now playing at Midtown Art in Atlanta.)
The cast: Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, Dylan Gelula and James Le Gros.
What it’s about: Lisa (Hall) is the general manager of Double Whammies, a Hooters-esque sports bar. She loves the girls who work there (including Richardson, McHayle and Gelula), as well as most of the regular customers, and she’s fiercely protective when some drunk idiot violates the zero-tolerance harassment policy. Still, working at a place that sells fantasy takes its toll, especially when the loutish owner (Le Gros) is looking for someone to blame when business is bad. As a series of wild events transpire over the course of a single day, Lisa finds herself facing an uncertain future.
The good: The stakes in Support the Girls don’t seem all that high on the surface – especially compared to recent blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War – but just because the universe isn’t in peril doesn’t mean viewers can’t be gutted when a character we’ve grown to love suffers a setback. When Lisa risks her job (which is already in jeopardy because she isn’t afraid to stand up to her blowhard boss), to protect one of her employees, only to have that monumental gesture blow up in her face, it’s just as gut-wrenching as watching Thanos snap his fingers.
That’s because Hall is a phenomenal actress, and I’m so glad to see her in a role that allows her to showcase her considerable skills. She’s in practically every scene, which significantly elevates the material. Richardson is also outstanding, continuing her winning streak in an adorable supporting performance. Her character starts out as a cliched airhead, but over the course of 90 minutes, the actress finds the real humanity at the character’s core.
The not-so-good: The movie (written and directed by Andrew Bujalski) is pretty slight, but that comes with the territory in a slice-of-life narrative like Support the Girls. Fortunately, the brief running time means it doesn’t wear out its welcome. Also, some of the actresses and actors playing the servers and customers aren’t up to the same level of quality as Hall and Richardson. It seems overly harsh to name names, but you’ll know them when you see them.
Grade: B
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
 |
| Courtesy of Netflix |
(Rated TV-14 for thematic elements, sexual dialogue and mild language. Now streaming on Netflix.)
The cast: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Israel Broussard, Anna Cathcart and John Corbett.
What it’s about: Shy, socially awkward Lara Jean Covey (Condor) has a unique process of grappling with emotions she can’t express aloud. She writes love letters to her former crushes as a way of moving on. It’s a purely hypothetical exercise until the letters actually get mailed. Now Lara Jean’s life is thrown into chaos as each guy approaches her to figure out what she was thinking, including her former best friend (Broussard) and her nemesis’ popular ex (Centineo).
The good: If you’re looking for a good “hang out at home” movie this weekend, Netflix has you covered. This funny, super sweet romcom (based on the YA novel by Jenny Han) is a refreshing, low-key surprise. Most importantly, it’s anchored by two fantastic leads.
Condor is a star in the making – charismatic, adorable and able to play her character’s dorky and romantic sides equally well. Centineo is also excellent, frequently reminding me of a young Mark Ruffalo. If the two don’t play father and son in a movie soon, casting directors are squandering a golden opportunity. My other favorite aspect of the film is that Sofia Alvarez’s screenplay treats teenagers like actual people instead of tiny adults or quirky dialogue delivery systems.
The not-so-good: A mid-credits teaser hints at the possibility of a sequel (Han wrote two more installments) and now I love the characters so much that I’ll be a little crushed if it doesn’t happen. Come on, Netflix – don’t keep us in limbo.
Grade: B+
Comments
Post a Comment