BlacKkKlansman

       BlacKkKlansman is about Ron Stallworth, a black individual who is hired as the first non-white cop in the Colorado Springs police department during the early 1970's era of the social revolution post-Martin Luther King Jr. He starts out by working in the records room, but is eventually promoted to intelligence to work as a detective. He is given the opportunity to lead his first investigation when he conjures up a tight-knit plan to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan on the suspicion that they are planning a violent crime against a student union march lead by the local university. He establishes contact with the KKK over the phone by utilizing a dialect typical of white males, but when the time comes to attend meetings he sends his white co-detective, Flip, to pose as the character he's created over the phone. Flip is Jewish as well so having to deal with KKK members who are also aggressive towards Jewish people proves to be a little tougher.
       This movie is all over the place in terms of tone. It's marketed as a comedy, but there are many moments throughout the film that'll snap you out of the humor and deliver harsh content that's hard to watch. One minute you're watching a club scene with dancing and swaying afros and in the next your witnessing some innocent adolescents be harassed by a racist police officer. These frequent shifts seem like they would cause some problems with the film's watchability, but it turns out that this is one of the film's strongest qualities. The film successfully establishes a balance between the execution of these tones and it provides for a high-quality commentary that's applicable to both the era its based in and the modern day.
       I absolutely loved this movie. I wasn't sure if mixing in comedy was a good idea for the subject matter, but it works extremely well and it actually adds to the appeal of this movie. In his review for this movie, Chris Stuckmann stated that making this film appealing to a wide array of audiences was the best thing it could've done. If it was just another obscure indie film then not as many people probably would've watched it. My local theater, during the movies opening weekend, sold out every showtime and even continued to sell out for the next week. This movie should be watched by as many people as possible. It is rated R and for good reason. You can probably infer the content that would give it an R rating seeing as how it takes place in the 1970's sociopolitical era.
       Amidst all the harsh dialogue and the almost exploitative stirring of emotions, there lies a quiet grace. I think this overlooked quality is birthed from an idea that is passed around each character. It's an idea that the movie portrays extremely well and was probably what got people through the harsh times. On screen, you have two ideologies that are fighting each other under separate flags. Their philosophies are vastly different, but their organizations function pretty much the same from having meetings to inviting guest speakers. I'm not suggesting that there is any good to come from the KKK, but the movie balances its time with both groups to the point where you can see that it's getting at something deeper. This movie, while being a commentary on its times, is also an examination of the concept of solidarity by using one of history's most visible examples.
       I'm glad I couldn't use my Moviepass for this movie. I was happy to give the filmmakers my money. Hollywood will continue to rake in revenue from films that are mostly uninspired so it is important that films like these are supported. BlacKkKlansman offers mass appeal and will no doubt be enjoyed by many. It's a wonderful piece on the times its based on and will certainly leave you speechless when the end credits begin to roll. 9.9/10