Spike Lee's most polished and satisfying non-documentary since Inside Man. I have a few qualms: at times, it tends uncomfortably toward the didactic and heavy-handed in a way characteristic of Lee (I want to completely cut Alec Baldwin's indulgent opening cameo), and lead actor John David Washington (Denzel's son) is not the most dynamic screen presence. He is handsome and adequate, but not electrifying or notably charismatic. His character would instantly be more memorable if played by, say, O'Shea Jackson, Jr., Jason Mitchell, or Algee Smith. For significant portions of the film, Adam Driver ends up registering as the central character, and he is excellent, as is the rest of the ensemble cast. Lee's direction is assured and stylish, and he navigates ambitious tonal shifts—from farcical to sobering, from polemic to procedural—with surprising dexterity. And at its core, the true story being dramatized is simply a fascinating and timely one.

This was...decent? It's in no way some revelatory masterpiece and I did think Chi-Raq was a better film overall. It clearly wants to get a message across but the problem is that Spike Lee has no subtlety in this regard. The movie was almost exhausting by the end. And it's not funny - in no way is this a comedy. It's a hundred years too long and I could have done without the numerous extended sequences (Corey Hawkins's scene maybe fits, the latter speech and that extended dance scene at the beginning do not). I think John David Washington is great and he is really solid here (though his work in the forthcoming Monsters and Men is more powerful and gives echoes of his father), but Adam Driver steals the show. I thought Laura Harrier was terrible. Totally one-note performance. I don't know how I feel about this one really. It has an important message to share but the experience of it left me a bit hollow. B-

The writer of this movie was a former college professor of mine

This is mostly good. A very interesting story told by a very interesting person. David is right that it gets far too heavy-handed at some points, distracting itself from the plot to point fingers. "America would never elect a president who is representative of the KKK!" And the scene contrasting white power and black power goes on forever.

The good- Denzel's son sounds just like him and is able to carry the movie when Spike goes Spike. Adam Driver is also good, to the surprise of no one. I also like how he shot some of the scenes with dramatic irony. Such as the big climax, which has so much tension for the characters involved, but we the audience know these idiot racists are about to blow themselves up. And any scene that has JDW talking with a Klan member on the phone is gold.

The best part was Isiah Whitlock. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttt.

It's fucking great. I was captivated from the get-go and the movie didn't falter (except for the actress who played Patrice... she was not good). It was entertaining and enRaging, hilarious and heavy. Great balancing act of tonalities.

I don't fault the director for making some of it so blatantly topical. That's the point. This is a story from, what, four decades ago? And this KKK shit not only still exists, it's rising to the surface and being legitimized by the "President" of the United States. The last couple minutes left me shaking and, yes, crying in the theater. I couldn't leave til after the credits finished.

I goddamn fuckin love movies that have something to say, and do it this well, so I'm left with a sense of deep substance but not like I was lectured for two hours.... I had a blast and the movie matters. I've seen a number of those this year... First Reformed, Eighth Grade, Sorry to Bother You, this.... I think there will be plenty more come fall / holiday period. Cheers to cinema!!

This was a fun and well-made film for the most part. It is book-ended by unnecessary Spike-isms, such as "A Spike Lee Joint", "...fo sho, fo sho", and a tacky black triumph to close, and his attempts to link it to modern day events is shallow (he's reaching for something that was out of reach). But, everything in-between is engaging and entertaining, even edge-of-your-seat at times, and Adam Driver and John David Washington are likable as leads. And I loved the recurring score. B+

Is it Oscar worthy? Um, I don't think it quite reaches those levels. Good effort, though. Spike just couldn't resist self indulgence.

It won't be in my top 10 of the year, but I did enjoy this. Considering all the hype I was expecting it to disappoint, but it didn't. John David Washington is good here and while his character was likable I don't know if I was a big fan of how he was written. It's hard to explain, but something about him was really off to me. It's crazy how much Adam Driver and the actors who played the members of the KKK steal show the most at least IMO they did. The ending was a bit unnecessary as well, although I get what they were going for. It just didn't seem to fit the rest of the movie.

B+

The movie emphasizes its strong social commentary over micro-character study. It makes observant points on how white domination of political and cultural institutions (due to slavery and segregation) had come to shape public perceptions about blacks, and how blacks and secular Jews adapted to white culture by "passing". Some scenes are particularly striking. The Kwame Ture speech coupled with the montage of facial reactions from the audience is some powerful imagery. The juxtaposition of the telling of the lynching of Jessie Washington with the Klans' viewing of "Birth of a Nation" at their initiation ritual is moving.

The comedic tone of the movie supersedes any opportunity of an in-depth character study. Ron Stallworth was the first and only black cop hired by the Colorado Springs Police Department at the time. I was expecting he and his white colleagues would initially share different attitudes towards the sting operation about the Klans. My guess was wrong. Their points of view are not sufficiently made known to the audience and they seem amicable and buddy-buddy all the time. The different perspectives by Stallworth and his Black Student Union President girlfriend in regards to black power and the police are also not thoroughly explored here (missed opportunity).

Despite its weakness in building strong characters, I am glad this is an informative film that is outside the realm of any genres.

75/100

Good movie, nice cast and a interesting story, just also not really much more than that. It's light and enjoyable, but also a bit too long and the stakes don't feel high enough to make a dramatic impact.

B