By: Keaton Marcus

Genre/Crime/Drama

Age Rating/14+

Lemonradar/90% sweet

So What’s The Story?

Hi, this is Keaton Marcus from Sweet and Sour Movie Reviews and today I will be reviewing Spike Lee’s newest joint, BlacKkKlansman. In the early 1970’s, the beatings and abusement of the African Americans still rage on, however, Ron Stallworth becomes the first African detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department; Though when that does not seem enough, he embarks on an extremely dangerous mission: infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan (the white-man hate group), recruiting more experienced cop, Phillip to support him in one of the most incredible (true) undercover missions of all time and to exploit one of the most evil groups in history.

How Was The Cast?

In Spike Lee’s newest flick, we notice Denzel Washington’s son, David Washington take the lead role of Ron Stallworth, actor Adam Driver to play Phillip Zimmerman and experienced comedic actor Topher Grace play Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (David Duke). As I said we witnessed Denzel’s son, David Washington (Monsters and Men) take on the iconic role of Ron Stallworth who also happens to be the author of the critically-acclaimed book, BlacKkKlansman. Taking his first major role with a playful, fun attitude, Washington may not be as experienced as his veteran father, Denzel, but he certainly has an immense load of talent and with a breezy and ambitious narrative, experienced talent surrounding him and is just so wonderful and fitting as the deeply explained main character of Stallworth. Secondly, more experienced actor Adam Driver known for Silence, Paterson, Lincoln, the Star Wars saga, Logan Lucky etc. With a previous long-streak of acclaimed films, Driver also has to play one of the many hard characters to perform in the film, having to express as a character about hating Jews, African Americans etc. and doing it with such a serious tone proves once again that Driver will be seen in many future films. Injecting laughs, energy and hints of his previous performances all into this once role, Driver succeeds on so many levels, and for some reasons I would call it his best performance to date, although he is sometimes kept from the spotlight by Washington’s dazzling performance. Thirdly also known as a veteran to acting was actor Topher Grace known for That 70’s Show, The Simpsons, Traffic, In Good Company etc. as the evil Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke. Recently, Dr. David Duke responded negatively to this film saying that they interpreted it all wrong, but clearly by watching this film and Topher Grace’s performance I would rather trust the book by Ron Stallworth and the film by Spike Lee, than the tyrantic Duke expressing his wants to clean America of these “nig..rs” on many of his former speeches throughout the world. Going back to Grace’s performance, the unusual fact that a comedic actor would be playing such a serious role like this is absurd, but Grace proves me wrong providing a truly riveting look at the leader of the Ku Klux Klan with a thrilling, thought provoking and colorful look at the fool, racist and overall tyrant, David Duke. Also cameoing at the opening scene was actor Alec Baldwin playing Dr. Kennebrew Beauregard who sinks his teeth into an intentionally ridiculous, but very hard-core intro to how things were in the 70’s for African Americans getting things to a brilliant start.

Is It Worth Your While?

Although we have seen director Spike Lee hit his downs (She Hate Me) and his highs (Malcolm X), the audience has never seen Lee at his full potential, directing BlacKkKlansman with skill and frolic, bouncing from different genres (Comedy, Crime, Drama) in such talent that many people could call this the best Spike joint of all time with a tautly told storyline, developed characters, a talented cast and even producer Jordan Peele at the helm all completing this film to a thrilling, well-directed, brilliantly acted take on the CRAZY, OUTRAGEOUS, INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY! Storyline wise, Lee’s incredible directing and above-average performances by the cast help a ton while the film develops clever twists, creative look at American racism back in the 70’s giving in laughs and possible tear-jerker moments while never derailing off topic and making Americans all over realize that this is very, very wrong, but also gives an infectious sense of fun and entertainment making it a stupendous mash-up between a documentary and a blockbuster comedy.

Aging ‘The 70’s’

Though not a hard R-rated flick, this Spike Lee joint is certainly not for kids, and will result well to mature teens and adults as this film contains violence such as the common talkings of beatings of the African Americans, also including a fatal (tear-jerking) explosion, guns are used frequently and in a post-credit sequence scenes depict the intense beatings of African Americans, a car runs over a person and there are many clips of violent protests, shouting etc. Language wise, there are frequent uses of f..ck and s..t, followed by ass, c...sucker, d..k, t.tty, hell plus various insults such as n..ger, f.g etc. Sexuality wise, there are some sexual references and a scene of a white-cop harassing two African American women after them being pulled over.

Historic Showdown

BlacKkKlansman 97% sweet

Violence: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Sex: ⭐⭐☆☆☆

Language: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Age Rating: 14+

Selma 90% sweet

Violence: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Sex: ⭐⭐☆☆☆

Language: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Age Rating: 13+

BlacKkKlansman 97% sweet

Storyline: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cast: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Role Models: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Selma 90% sweet

Storyline: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Cast: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Role Models: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

News Related to BlacKkKlansman

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