BlacKkKlansman - A Typically Powerful Spike Lee Statement

However entertaining any of Spike Lee's films are, he has never shied away from the overall message. In BlacKkKlansman, Lee makes a clear connection between the events of the film and of today. The march in Charlottesville, Trump rallies, violence against protesters; these all feel at home in the world of BlacKkKlansman. It is so clear in the film that it is funny, hilarious in fact (as intended). It's easy to laugh at Topher Grace playing David Duke, talking white supremacy with Ron Stallworth who, unbeknownst to Duke, is an African-American. Yet Lee and Co.'s script is dead-on to both the real world talk of the "National Director" of the Klan, as well as even more powerful leaders today. We have to question whether to laugh at the movie portrayal or cry for the past and present of the United States.

The movie itself is a thrilling feat for Lee, being one of his best since his heyday in the 90's. But as many have already pointed out (including a scathing write-up from Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley), there is a lot of fabrication in the movie. You really don't even need to fact check yourself: you can probably guess if you are acutely cynical about which parts are made up for the story and which seem questionably unnecessary (different simultaneous events with one group yelling "black power!" and the other "white power!", for one). Luckily, the film's message is far from the simple designations of real and fake, and overall BlacKkKlansman is propelled by a real feeling of dread mixed with typically engaging movie traits, as well as fantastic performances from all on both sides of the camera.

Taking the movie alone, Lee put all the pieces together to fit his message. Whether true or not does not change the fact that the movie is both challenging and inspiring. If the standard dose of movie magic is too much for some, it's definitely understandable. Still, I was moved. The message conveyed feels real - a film both pointed and humorous that will stick with you until you are moved enough to act on these feelings.

Certainly, it was good enough for me: 3/4
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