The trailer can’t really prepare you for the actual experience. It looks like it could be a lighthearted buddy-cop comedy about good triumphing over racism. That could not be further from the truth. There’s genuine and intentional comedic moments, but for every laugh or “good guy” victory, Lee makes you stare down an unflinchingly ugly truth. A recent Times article remarked that “Lee makes movies to reopen wounds that white America would like to pretend have healed,” and that is exactly what he does in BlacKkKlansman.
“Dis’ joint is based upon some fo’ real, fo’ real sh*t”
Strictly speaking, BlacKkKlansman is loosely based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer in Colorado Springs in the early 70’s. Stallworth managed to infiltrate the KKK over the phone, with a white officer impersonating him in face to face encounters with other Klan members. He had numerous phone conversations with Klan Grand Wizard David Duke himself (who, incidentally, shares several personality traits with Trump, according to Stallworth). His undercover work neutralized numerous KKK threats and thwarted plans for violence. Stallworth is played by John David Washington (son of Denzel) and he does an excellent job. His character begins the movie as upbeat, naive, but slightly passive (at least in regards to activism), and it’s fascinating to see the fire that is slowly ignited inside him. Credit for that fire belongs in part to the fiery, passionate Patrice Dumas, exquisitely played by Laura Harrier.
It becomes obvious though that this movie is less a biopic about a black cop in the 70’s, and more a social commentary about the racism still prevalent in 2018 America. Spike Lee doesn’t even try to be subtle about references to Trump and his “Make America Great Again” and “America First” rhetoric. Much of the racist dialogue is so campy and farcical that audiences can be lulled into thinking that it’s a relic of the past, when white, middle class dickheads dressed in white hoods and burned crosses on the regular. That illusion doesn’t last for long. The revolting KKK ideology from the past has simply gotten polished and repackaged and made its way into the mainstream.
Let’s take a quick commercial break to talk about Adam Driver
I have an unrepentant crush on AD, so I would be remiss if I didn’t mention, repeatedly, how amazing he is. Driver plays Flip Zimmerman, the white cop chosen to impersonate Ron Stallworth. Flip is also Jewish, a heritage that he hasn’t given much consideration until faced with the relentless anti-Semitic rants of Klan member Felix. Felix is instantly suspicious that Flip is a Jew, and their scenes together are some of the most tense and disturbing of the film. Flip is forced to spew vile, hateful rhetoric about his own people in order to avoid suspicion, and Adam gives 110% to his performance. My husband, who hates AD (for um, reasons…) admitted that “what’s-his-face was better than I thought he’d be.” You can’t top that glowing praise!
And then there’s his flannel shirt game. It is relentless, and it is impeccable. He wears at least 8 different plaid or flannel button ups throughout the film, each one better than the last. It’s like the costume designer intuitively knew that Kylo Ren in flannel is a major fantasy of mine. GET OUT OF MY HEAD, LADY. (But also, THANKS).
Alright, let’s get back to more serious observations before I start fangirling over Adam’s perfectly tousled hair and embarrass myself.
Spike Lee sees you, casually racist white women
Perhaps the most chilling and provocative performance comes from Connie, cheery and dutiful housewife of a Klan member, who gleefully volunteers to participate in an attack against a black woman. Lee uses her character to blatantly call out a long passed over demographic—racist white chicks. Which is timely, what with recent instances of white women calling the police on black people for stupid reasons. White women have long been complicit or passive participants in horrible acts of murder and violence against blacks. Consider the infamous case of Emmett Till, whose murder investigation was recently reopened after 63 years by the US government after the woman he was accused of sexually assaulting recanted her story.
We’d like to think that modern day racists are mostly greasy, tattooed men waving Confederate flags, but in 2018 the reality is that racism wears many faces, and lots of those faces are female. They might not demonstrate it in violence, but their unwarranted distrust and fear of black people and other minorities is just as damaging to racial equality. It’s the BBQ Becky’s calling the cops on black people grilling in a park. The disgruntled neighbor calling the cops on a young black boy who accidentally mowed her lawn. Just as bad are the obnoxious, privileged white girls who just don’t see what the problem is:
Do you think any of these women would consider themselves white supremacists? Probably not. But their actions reveal the disturbing truth: that white superiority is so deeply ingrained in American culture that some people can’t even recognize it in themselves.
Spike Lee wants white America to Wake Up
The phrase “Wake Up” is used several times throughout the movie, and I think it’s the primary message that Lee wants to get across. He’s begging people to get of their comfort zone and face reality. Racism is not a thing of the past. Minorities are profiled, falsely accused, disproportionately imprisoned, and killed. White supremacy is still alive and thriving, and it presents in endless subtle, even unintentional, ways. Our President thinks neo-Nazi marches are comprised of some “fine, fine people”. Police brutality is still rampant and unchecked. And it’s not just centered at black people—the movie focuses heavily on Anti-Semitism, and briefly on homophobia and sexism. Hate is hate is hate. What are you doing to fight it?
*Minor Spoilers* The movie ends with footage from the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally (which killed activist Heather Heyer, who is memorialized in the credits), and it draws the past and the present together in a shocking, visceral way. It felt like a punch to the gut. Lee includes an image of an upside down US Flag after the footage, which historically was a signal to indicate “dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.” His meaning could not be clearer. And if you can’t see it, then you might be part of the problem.
