A reminder we haven't advanced very far

Rating: 9/10 (9 August 2018)

Film Review: BlacKkKlansman. Director Spike Lee ("Malcolm X") returns to the big screen with a current look back at the 1970's emergence of the Ku Kluk Klan. Enter rookie black Colorado Springs cop Ron Stallworth (the charming and self driven John David Washington - son of Denzel Washington), who is brought on to the force because he can talk "normal" and "jive". When an opportunity to spy on visiting revolutionary Kwame Ture (the empowering Corey Hawkins "Straight out of Compton), Ron begins his infiltration into the both the black empowerment movement and the Ku Klux Klan, eventually meeting its leader David Duke (portrayed convincing enough by Topher Grace "That 70's Show"). Linking him to both groups are the strong-fast President of the Movement Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrie ""Spider-Man: Homecoming"), and Klan's men Walter (Ryan Eggold "New Amsterdam" TV), wild man Feliz (Jasper Paakkone "Vikings" TV), his bubbly wife Connie (the terrific Ashlie Atkinson "Crashing" TV), and goof-ball scene stiller Ivanhoe (Paul Walter Hauser " I, Toyna"). Reluctantly at Ron's side are fellow officers Flip (one of the hardest working actors Adam Driver "Girls") and Jimmy ("Blended's" Michael Buscemi - brother of Steve Buscemi), both who learn a lot from their involvement. While Lee's presentation is a bit stagey throughout, especially the opening informercial by Dr. Beauregard (an out of place Alec Baldwin) and the various floating faces during Ture's speech, it does help to establish the time, place and feel of the 1970's community. As usual, Lee has a lot to say about "the day" and today, creatively interjecting current political climate catch phrases like "Make America Great Again" to establish his point that we haven't advanced very far as a society. Lee interjects this association at just the right time in the film, making the films final moments coincide with footage from the recent Charlottesville White Nationalist Rally that stuns the viewing audience into silence. If nothing else, the last few minutes of "BlacKkKlansman" says it all.