BlacKkKlansman (2018)

Director:

Spike Lee

Starring:

John David Washington

Laura Harrier

Adam Driver

Plot:

Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, CO, successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan branch with the help of a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.

Review:

I chose to watch this instead of election coverage to help my nerves. It totally failed on that front but that’s my problem not the movies lol

Ron Stallworth, John David Washington, is the first black cop in Colorado Springs. He deals with racism and bigots, but also manages to infiltrate the KKK by calling their number listed in the paper. It’s stupidly easy and you can see that he’s just saying things that have been said to him, things that are disgusting and stereotypical, and the KKK people on the phone eat it up. Naturally, they want to meet this amazing new brother and set up a meeting. In steps Adam Driver and things progress rapidly from there.

At times the movie was a bit heavy handed in its contrast between Black and White protests, but I feel like Lee showed a LOT of restraint on that front. There were obvious inferences about current affairs, but I wouldn’t say it went outside plausible conversations for the time period.

The ending with the clips from Charlottesville were just soul crushing. The image of the upside down flag really hit home. I highly recommend the BlacKkKlansman. We have so much work to do in this country.

5/5