Intense and provoking...

Rating: 9/10 (18 November 2017)

Detroit powerfully dramatizes the harsh realities and racial tensions of the 1967 Detroit riots with skillful direction and grounded performances, Will Poutler's being particularly fearsome and newcomer Algee Smith generating a lot of sympathy. However, I wasn't a fan of the act structure as it seemed episodic. The third act focuses on the legal results of the riots, which felt like a completely different film compared to the distressing sequences before it. I'll give it minor leeway for it's historical context, but the Algiers Motel act was strong enough to be it's own picture and could've done without the bloated first and third acts. Not an easy watch, but it's essential cinema and another milestone for director Kathryn Bigelow. Intense and provoking. One of 2017's best.