Spike Lee goes for the gold - and delivers

Rating: 7/10 (23 March 2019)

Spike Lee is known for translating difficult stories into cinema, and 'BlacKkKlansman' is no different. In what is one of the most interesting and head-scratching tales from the civil rights movement, Lee brings us the story of Ron Stallworth, Colorado Springs' first African-American police officer, who also is part of a covert team that infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan.
One of the biggest surprises in 'BlacKkKlansman' is the job John David Washington does as the aforementioned Officer Stallworth. The son of a film legend and a relative newcomer to acting, Washington has everything down from the accent to the look to - most importantly - the quick wit needed to outsmart a bunch of backhills racists. Joining him on this journey is Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), a Jewish officer who is also an unconventional choice to take down the KKK.
The film is many things all at once - a crime drama, a dark comedy, a time travel back to a different era - and it delivers on all of these points. Through the eyes of Stallworth, the audience can identify with the personal struggle he experiences, trying to be a black cop in an all-white force with few friends or believers, while also straddling the line when it comes to sticking to his roots, including the young civil rights movement led by Patrice Dumas (Laura Harrier).
'BlacKkKlansman' also earned Lee his first Oscar, for best adapted screenplay - incredible to believe given his long career. It is not the best (nor is it his best) effort, but it's a well done film that tells a crazy story in a unique way.