Uneven and messy but heartfelt in what it is trying to do

Rating: Null/10 (9 March 2019)

A new Spike Lee film is usually good news for white liberal-leaning viewers such as myself; and one that goes after the Trump-infused rise of white nationalism is doubly so. Knowing myself target audience does tend to temper the viewing experience though, because I know I am more prone to like it for the familiarity of camera movements, scoring, and political slant - and all of this can distract from the film itself. Many critics seem to have done the same, because this is not as strong a film as many would have you believe.
Set within a true story, the guts of it is engaging in its focus on character and place. There is a certain irony that the true elements of the story also tend to produce what feels like plot holes, and these do tend to distract. The quality of the delivery helps carry it too, because generally the writing is not sharp; it is worthy, it is important, yes, but it is not crisp or clever. The thread through from the past to the modern day doesn't totally work because it plays the KKK characters as pretty low or obvious types, sometimes even enjoying a laugh at their expense. The link from that to the real death of a person last year feels hollow - the end is powerful, but it feels dropped in, not part of the whole.
In moments and in sequences, the film engages and offers much to enjoy in the quality of its director and cast, however as a total product it doesn't come together. The uneven tone, the messy approach, and the inconsistent delivery aren't compensated for by the message or its importance. There is stuff to like about the film, but it is not as good as many would have you believe.