BLACKKKLANSMAN; A Professional Scotsman Review #22

#MINOR SPOILERS# Watch Trailer

[Homer and Bart escape the destruction of earth on a spaceship for celebrities]

HOMER: "All that counts is we're alive and rubbing elbows with the greats. [Gasps] Ooh! There's Ross Perot... Dr. Laura... Spike Lee."

BART: "Wait a minute... they're not so great."

Goddamn this movie has a good high concept idea: a black police officer joins the KKK. BOOM! I'm in, hooked, sold, please Sir can I have some more? It's the most compelling idea in a trailer I've seen since... maybe ever? And as director Spike Lee is always at least a thoughtful director, I knew there would be even more meat to the bones than just a tasty high concept. Going in I was pretty psyched, so having seen it is that still the case?

BLACK DYNAMITE: "I'd like to take the credit, but dig, mama, there's no "i" in "revolutio-"... in "team.""

Stylistically it does borrow from Blaxploitation films with fonts, tone and thematically and even alludes to this during a conversation. Whilst the female lead lauds Shaft because he's a detective (like our hero) she laments another because the hero is a pimp. Though Lee himself is vocally derogatory of Tarantino (particularly his liberal overuse of the N word) the irony is that stylistically here there is more of a hint of Tarantino's work on display than he'd probably like to admit. This is intriguing - particularly because in an extremely Quentin-esque move there's already a 1966 film called The Black Klansman! Why they didn't reference this I'm not sure - particularly as the post ironic tone of the film practically demands it. For example there's an amusing scene in which the cops all discuss how much they love The Juice - A.K.A. O.G. Simpson. And to be honest it's nice to see such a playful script which is refreshingly zippy whilst melding the heavier aspects inherent when dealing with racism. Though it's comedic in places it's not flat out comedy - unlike the greatest blaxploitation film of all time: 2009s Black Dynamite [10] which I'm referencing now so I can continue to quote it with impunity between paragraphs for the rest of this review.

SHOLANDA: "My momma said my daddy's name was Black Dynamite."

BRICKWILLA: "So did my momma!"

BLACK DYNAMITE: "Err, uhh, hush up little girls. A lot of cats have that name."

Given Hollywood's recent appreciation for black cinema with Oscars for 10 Years A Slave [8] and the equally silly/genius La La Land... sorry, I mean Moonlight [8], I'm delighted to see the most intriguing black director of my youth making a mini comeback. I think it's flawed but Malcolm X [8] made a big impact on me as a kid even if most of the politics went over my little head. Like Malcolm X what we have here is an interpretation of a true story and similarly Lee always gives you good, solid characters that are easily relatable no-matter what your colour or creed. And right away it's easy to root for our hero Ron Stallworth (probably the more WASPish name ever) as a slightly hip young man who wants to be the first black cop in his city. He's witty and charming enough to finagle an early assignment infiltrating a student event where a firebrand black elder is stoking up college kids, possibly getting them ready for the revolution to come. It's here Ron meets his strong willed love interest and spiritual opposite played by Laura Harrier who thinks that change in the status of black America will come via protest and if necessary violence. Ron believes that normalisation through acts such as becoming a cop are just as valid, if not more so. In this it sets up an intriguing relationship that I was hoping would be the main source of emotional conflict though it's inevitably overshadowed by the more salacious KKK storyline.

GLORIA: "What about the smile?"

BLACK DYNAMITE: [not smiling] "I am smiling."

Which is a real shame because the infiltration of the KKK is, though initially a hilarious aspect, ultimately fairly standard stuff. Ron himself phones them up and once accepted it's the white, Jewish Adam Driver who has to make contact face to face for obvious reasons. And while this is initially fun it absolutely begs the question: why doesn't the undercover role just be continued by Adam Driver's character alone? Why does Ron need to split this undercover creation by carrying on by being the voice on the phone? It really bugged me and it's never addressed. I assume in real life there was a reason for this? Regardless there's obviously a lot of inherent tension in the situation and for the most part the balance between comedy and drama is handled quite well. One thing though - the villains are all portrayed as generally physically ugly (with the exception of Topher Grace as the head of the KKK) and whilst this is almost certainly the case in real life it somewhat reduces the balance I always look for when addressing evil people or subjects.

BLACK DYNAMITE: [to FIENDISH DR. WU] "Your knowledge of scientific biological transmogrification is only outmatched by your zest for kung-fu treachery!"

One major issue: I cannot believe the main villain isn't played by Michael Biehn! It's utterly uncanny. I'm not gonna call the actor by his real name but it's mental - you'll see what I mean - and he's very good (like Michael Biehn). His put upon, almost Stockholm syndrome suffering wife is deftly and realistically played by Ashlie Atkinson. Yet whilst the main drama is fairly compelling it lacks the real undercover danger of something like The Departed [9] with the inevitable discovery jeopardy only truly arriving as we reach our conclusion. Regardless, the film builds a compelling narrative to root for our hero throughout his trials and tribulations and there's even a suggestion that his issues with the romantic lead cannot be resolved. So I was very happy overall - the production association with Jordan Peele of Get Out! [9] fame becomes clear when you realise there's a slight horror vibe to the proceedings, particularly near the stylistic ending. Yet the whole movie for me is completely undercut by the final non fictionalized ending. I won't spoil it but in essence after watching an extremely well made film that makes it's political message clear whilst retaining some nuance, the last few minutes take up the narrative in a ridiculously heavy handed and completely needless way.

BLACK CHICK: "Black Dynamite, that was the best loving I ever had."

WHITE CHICK: "Me too."

ASIAN CHICK: "That goes triple for me."

BLACK DYNAMITE: "Shh. Mama, you're gonna wake up the rest of the bitches."

[Camera pulls back to reveal two more women are sleeping on the same bed]

FINAL ANALYSIS: Genuinely delighted to see Spike Lee making something vital and relevant again. The acting is great, the subject ultimately fun - no mean feat considering the seriousness of the matter - and there's a lot to ponder here. It's just too bad all the deft artistry is poured down the drain with the most heavy handed ending I think I've ever seen. Lee might have well just inserted himself speaking to the camera, talking about what the message of the film was - as if we haven't already got it. But I don't discount the film for this - overall it's an intelligent piece of work and who knows? - you might just love the ending.

SCORE: A fun, smart 7. That's after subtracting a whole point for the unsubtle final couple of minutes.

ALTERNATIVE TITLE: The Black Klansman