Well worth seeing, says old white bloke from rural England

Rating: 8/10 (9 September 2018)

In 1979 Colorado Springs, cop Ron Stallworth infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. On the phone, because he's black. However, since he needs to attend meetings and the like, Jewish colleague Flip Zimmerman is recruited for the physical side of things. Their undercover operation proceeds in the face of some resistance within the establishment, and Ron's increasing involvement with Black Power activist Patrice.
Spike Lee films an adaptation of Stallworth's autobiographical book. It is a strange mix of fact, comedy, period detail, action, drama, and social commentary and, oddly, this chaotic mishmash works quite well, helped by a winning performance form heavily afro'ed John David Washington as Stallworth.
This is unusual in that it is a worthy film - it has something worthwhile to say - yet it is easy entertainment throught its running time. Despite its entertainment value, you are never in any doubt about the weight of the issues underlying it.
And it is bookended by, at the start, a powerful cameo from Alex Baldwin as the Klan's Beauregard, spouting vile poison and, at the end, Donald Trump being Donald Trump.