BlacKkKlansman

It seems like I have been waiting forever to see BlacKkKlansman and I finally had the chance on Friday night.  I have to say right now that this is one of the best films of the year and I know that I am am going to be thinking about it for some time to come.  It tells the true story of how Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) joined the Colorado Springs Police Department as its first black officer and then infiltrated the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan with the help of a fellow officer, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver).  This film is incredibly powerful and, as I mentioned, thought-provoking.  I had an almost visceral reaction to some of what I saw on the screen but I also laughed out loud in many places.  Spike Lee does a masterful job in creating a film that is funny and entertaining but also has a definite message that is particularly salient for our times (but one that is not shoved down our throats).  I loved the juxtaposition of Klan meetings with meetings held by Stallworth's girlfriend Patrice (Laura Harrier) for Black Power.  While the Klan is definitely portrayed in a very negative light I found it eerie that both groups were basically shouting the same rhetoric.  Ron Stallworth is seemingly the voice of reason in both of these groups when he says that fighting hate needs to come from within rather than through violence and that is a message that is desperately needed right now.  I loved Washington's portrayal of Stallworth and I found him to be absolutely riveting.  There is a scene where he reacts to the targets used by the Klan for shooting practice that had me in tears.  I also enjoyed Driver's performance (I find him strangely appealing), particularly when he realizes that what he is doing is becoming personal.  This is an important film that I think everyone should see and I highly recommend it!