“BlacKkKlansman” is a historical drama that is based on a bizarre true story. In the 1970s, Ron Stallworth, the first Black police officer of Colorado Springs police department, decided to go undercover and investigate the local Ku Klux Klan branch in the area. Of course, he couldn’t do this in person. Posing as a white racist, Stallworth contacted Klan members over the phone, then another undercover white officer would pose as Stallworth when meeting them in person.
This really did happen. Long after the investigation was closed and his retirement from the police force, Stallworth wrote a memoir about his experiences titled “Black Klansman,” which was published in 2014 from which the movie is adapted.
In the film, Ron Stallworth is played by John David Washington, who is the son of Denzel Washington. The other white officer, whose real identity was never revealed in the book, is played by Adam Driver.
“BlacKkKlansman” marks the latest film by influential African American director Spike Lee. Now I do need to admit that Spike Lee is not a filmmaker with whom I am very familiar; “Inside Man” and “Do the Right Thing” are the only two films by him that I have seen.
There are a lot of things going for this movie. For one, the acting is fantastic.
John David Washington is amazing and so is Adam Driver. The latter was a pleasant surprise. Most people know Driver for his role as Kilo Ren in the new “Star Wars” films. And many also don’t like Kilo Ren that much, including myself.
Another actor I have to mention is Jasper Paakonen, who plays an unpredictable Klan member. While the character is a bit of a stereotype, it’s a good performance and his accent is amazing; Paakkonen is from Finland, but you couldn’t tell by watching this movie.
But now for some criticism.
The trailers for “BlacKkKlansman” can be misleading. If you judged this movie by the trailers, you might think that it’s a buddy cop comedy while also addressing the topic of racism underneath. The actual movie is very different: It’s a movie that addresses racism, while being a buddy cop comedy underneath.
Granted, this is a movie by Spike Lee. And even as someone who hasn’t seen his work, I know that all of his films deal with social commentary in one way or another. “Inside Man” is an action blockbuster, and it still provided social commentary.
There is comedy in “BlacKkKlannsman,” and it is pretty funny. In fact, I thought the climax was hilarious, and yet it was presented as being serious. That, of course, might come from my own personal tastes in comedy, which can be dark at times.
This film also felt long. The run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes. Honestly, I don’t have a problem with long movies. Some of my favorite movies are almost 3 hours. But “BlacKkKlansman” seemed to drag at times, so that’s why I felt the run time.
But despite these criticisms, I didn’t dislike “BlacKkKlansman.”
It’s a good thing this movie is based on a true story, because no one would take it seriously if it was fiction. From my research into the film, the story does follow Stallworth’s memoir closely. Some of the more absurd scenes, like Stallworth talking to Klan leader David Duke over the phone, and listening to Duke talk about how he can tell if someone is Black by the way they talk, not realizing the irony – that really did happen.
Of course, liberties are taken. Some characters and events didn’t occur. However, this movie does earn its “based on a true story” credit. It’s respectful of its subject matter and some of the changes made are thoughtful. For instance, Adam Driver’s character in the film is Jewish, which makes things difficult because the Klan hates Jewish people. There is no reference of the real life officer being Jewish, but it is a thoughtful addition by the filmmakers.
On a side note, some of the actors who are playing racist Klan members have diverse backgrounds in real life – including groups that the Klan doesn’t like – and to tell the truth, it’s only fitting.
This isn’t necessarily an easy movie to watch. From my research, Spike Lee doesn’t make movies for people looking for escapism and to feel comfortable about their world. He makes movies so people can feel uncomfortable about their world.
Throughout the film, you listen to several hate-filled monologues. “BlacKkKlansman” goes even a step further. Most films that address racism in the past seem to give the assurance that it doesn’t happen anymore. “BlacKkKlansman” doesn’t have that message. It takes a clear political stance with its story, especially with the ending.
“BlacKkKlansman” references “A Birth of a Nation,” a 1916 film made to celebrate the KKK and support racism causing a resurgence in the Klan’s popularity in American after its release, showing the true power that film can have.
“BlacKkKlansman” is trying to use this same power, only for the opposite purpose. This movie wants you to view the Klan and racism with disgust. While there a few jokes made about the Klan, it still portrays racism as no laughing matter.
The acting is great, the comedy is funny, there’s creative camerawork and a killer soundtrack – which every ‘70s film is required to have. The story presents racism in a complex way. You get to encounter different kinds of racists: there are the more stereotypical racists, but then there are bigots who are well-spoken, have nice smiles and use “friendly” language. It’s almost as if Lee wanted to show the different forms racism can take.
“BlacKkKlansman” is an interesting movie, worth watching and analyzing. After this, I am defiantly going to see another “Spike Lee Joint.”