Law and Disorder

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 2017)

(RATING: ☆☆☆☆☆ out of 5 )
GRADE: A-
THIS FILM IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
IN BRIEF: Kathryn Bigalow creates a searing docudrama about racial unrest in America.
SYNOPSIS: The Detroit riots of 1967 serve as the backdrop for a vicious attack on some party-goers by some police officers.
JIM'S REVIEW: We see it on the news...police officers being secretly photographed using excessive force to arrest a possible lawbreaker, or the opposite viewpoint, an average citizen choosing a violent act of aggression against the police force. It's seems to be an everyday occurrence in our 21st century. Hate speech and violent actions are rampant these days, and with that comes the issue of poverty, crime, and racism underscoring the rationale. 50 years ago, that same savage behavior happened sporadically, or at least, not to our knowledge in this age of social media. Intense, manipulative, and uncompromising in its vision of racial unrest in America, Kathryn Bigelow's film, Detroit, is a harrowing look into our nation's class divide.'
Just as Ava's DuVernay's epic 2015 film, Selma, looked to the past to show our present, so does this equally fine film. Yes, there will be a backlash against the film's liberal bias, or its ugly view of police brutality, or the fact that a white female director has chosen to tell this tale. But those are smoke and mirrors deflecting the real message of the film. Its social conscience prevails, even if its story is told in black and white (or black vs. white), with little gray to be seen. Both films show that black lives rarely mattered during the turbulent sixties and not much has changed with law enforcement or the court system from then to now. And that is the most telling fact, sadly proving that history continues to repeat itself.
A city is a microcosm of its inhabitants. Using the Detroit riots of 1967 as its backdrop, this docudrama incorporates real life characters and events to convey its human drama. As the film begins, it's summer in the city. Temperatures are hot with no relief in sight. The police raid an unlicensed bar and its patrons are being ridiculed and threatened. A rowdy crowd gathers to watch the proceedings and a mob scene erupts in violence. The riots begin and grow over three nights. National guard troops are called in to "calm" the protesters.
In Mark Boab's exceptional screenplay, we focus on a human drama that tragically plays out during one of those nights: In a small hotel room, some friends gather to party and forget about the turmoil that surrounds them. Stereotypes abound. The angry young Negro. The bigoted cop. The righteous African-American police officer being falsely accused (John Botega, being the heart and soul of the film). All are thrown into this melting pot called America and the hatred and prejudice boils over in the most unsettling of ways. A starter pistol goes off, bringing the police to the premises. Lead by a sadistic officer named Krauss (a menacing Will Poulter), the stage is now set for repeated acts of inhumanity and sadism.
This hostage situation sequence, which becomes the riveting section of the film, includes scenes of psychological torture and brutal violence which go on for too long, making the film squirm-inducing and quite disturbing to watch. This confrontational scene is in-your-face cinema verite that engulfs the moviegoer to witness acts of cruelty that go unpunished. This is serious filmmaking about an all-too-serious subject, and the director never shies away from the events, although she does take some creative leeway with the facts to dramatize her narrative.
Ms. Bigalow's direction is brilliant. She layers her narrative with such clarity and insight, establishing the incident and creating many memorable characters that are caught in the crossfire. She mixes newsreel footage with her reenactments of the crimes in such a subtle and forceful way. Production design by Jeremy Hindle, Barry Ackroyd's photography, and the editing by William Goldenberg and Harry Yoon captures these grim times vividly. The filmmakers create a realistic war zone and fill it with images that depict the conflict between races
The film has one of the best ensembles of the year. Algee Green, Jacob Latimore, Jason Mitchell, and Anthony Mackie are terrific. Also providing excellent support are Hannah Murray, Jack Reynor, Ben O'Toole, and Kaitlyn Dever. The aforementioned Mr. Botega and Mr. Poulter are outstanding in their roles and should be garner many well-earned accolades this award season.
Detroit parallels a nation at war with itself, and though the message is often preachy and overstates its position too often, the overall impact is thought-provoking if disheartening. Ms. Bigalow's tale of law and disorder will upset and stun you, but it just might open up a needed discussion about the taboo subject of racism in America that is still infecting our country today...50 years later.