Black Is King

Streaming: Disney+ (With Subscription)
Rating: TV-14

Black Is King is an avant-garde musical film and visual album that is written, directed and executive produced by Beyoncé and many other talented individuals. The budget cost $20 million dollars to produce and it is reported that Beyoncé was securing a $100 million deal to work on three films for Disney. Beyoncé called Black Is King her passion project, she invested 100% of her earnings from Disney into making sure they had the best crew and production for the film. The production was top secret, they made sure the public did not know about the film and even some contributors didn’t know the scope of the project until the release of the trailer. After playing the character Nala in The Lion King (2019) Beyoncé learned about the South African composer Solomon Linda who did not receive credit or royalties from their music being used in the original film The Lion King. This angered Beyoncé so she pledged to create a full-length film that will tell a story with the assistance of African artists instead of using animation. Black Is King is a masterpiece that reflects a painting with every single image. From the choreography, music, hair, and wardrobe the artistry that was put into this film is beyond inspiring. Alongside the masterful production, the film is poetic and creative through spiritual iconography, regal imagery, and Afro-Futurism. Black Is King has so many levels to it that I could go on for hours about the film however I am going to focus on the wardrobe, music, choreography, and the reflective imagery. This visual album is unlike any other musical film that has been made before and is currently nominated for numerous awards for its fashion, production, choreography and music.

The first part of Black Is King I would like to discuss is the hair and wardrobe. Beyoncé alone had 69 costumes and hundreds of costumes were designed for this film. The stylist was Zerina Akers, she said the aim of the wardrobe was to spark a global conversation, the costumes were supposed to enable people of all races to, “recognize and respect the power and beauty of brown skin”, while inspiring Black people to research their own spiritual heritage. There are so many costumes that Beyoncé wore in the film but one in particular I would like to note is a red dress she wore with gold jewelry; this was a subtle homage to Mattel’s historical First Black Barbie Doll. Beyoncé paid attention to every detail of this production, in order to prepare for the direction that Beyoncé wanted the clothing and hair to go, she collected picture references of African cultural practices. The hairstylist was Neal Farinah, the hair team spent 16 hours a day for 6 days to create more than 40 wigs. In an interview Farinah told Essence,
“Black Women’s hair and Black trends have been put down for so many years. And I’m so proud that we can do this and educate people about Blackness and Black hair, Black trends, how amazing it is and the story behind it, the story behind these cultures. It was not just hair. It was not just a braided hairstyle. Everything meant something and that’s what makes it powerful.”

These deliberate creative choices are so important in a film like this because this is one of the first times a large audience is seeing Black individuals depicted as historical royalty, iconic deities, and even magical.

            The next important aspects of this film to discuss is the music and choreography. Black Is King is based on the music of The Lion King. The film’s score was composed by James William Blades, MeLo-X, and Derek Dixie; Beyoncé and Derek Dixie acted as musical directors. The score is traditional African music from the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music released by Smithsonian Folkways. Atesh Sonneborn who is an Ethnomusicologist and retired Smithsonian Folkways Associated Director commented that the choice of songs used in the film were notably lullabies and children’s songs showing that Beyoncé was trying to, “reach back to her own sense of African heritage.” Black Is King also included Solomon Linda’s song that was not credited in the original film The Lion King. In addition to the music, the choreography was beyond impressive, there were 11 choreographers who worked on Black Is King. Stephen Ojo and Caleb Bonney of the dance group AVO (Africa’s Very Own) Boyz taught Beyoncé several dances from throughout Africa such as, the Gbese, Poco, and Kpakujemu from Nigeria, the C’est Moi from the Ivory Coast and the network from Ghana. When Ojo was asked about the choreography he stated that his aim was, “to make sure the moves we were bringing out were properly represented and danced in the right way. I wanted to make sure Africa was being represented properly and not diluted.” He later stated that Beyoncé was a great student and very respectful, she actually wanted to learn about the dances, the history and the culture. The choreography is part of what makes the film because Beyoncé was so attentive to properly representing Africa and dancing is such a huge part of many cultures from Africa that it is necessary to do research when expressing this type of art.

            Last but certainly not least, poetry and the transcendent symbolism throughout the film makes this visual album a visual poem. Famous Black individuals (including Beyoncé’s family) are donned in royal clothing with white servants at their side, African women are idolized and cherished, and African children are uplifted and supported while being watched over. The entire film highlighted the community within the culture and how Black people support each other. Through these visual choices, Beyoncé wanted to show the regality and the beauty of Africans before colonization interrupted their history. Alongside images of royalty and god-like portrayals, the film does a wonderful job depicting nature in way that appreciates the Earth. Black Is King makes the shooting locations seem like they’re from another planet, the beautiful landscapes are breathtaking, and it looks as if someone painted every frame. The list of cinematographers is far too long to name but they went above and beyond when capturing Earth’s beauty. Along with the beautiful landscapes, Beyoncé had a team of writers creating poetic voice overs to help carry the film. Black is King was written by Beyoncé, poet Ysra Daley-Ward, as well as writers, Clover Hope and Andrew Morrow. The script also incorporates poetry written by Somali-British poet Warson Shire. The powerful words that carried the story certainly created a tone for the film that is unlike any other and allowed the audience to absorb an emotional understanding along with the visual creativity.

Overall Black Is King has been very successful, from being nominated and winning awards, to a positive critical response, the film went on the inspire many Universities and Libraries to support educational outlets about African culture. This includes Harvard University, New York University, the New York Public Library, and the African American Museum. In addition to the educational impact, Disney states that Black Is King is credited for an increase of approximately 3 million subscribers and even a social media trend began titled #MyPowerChallenge where participants recreate a dance from the film. This film is an important part of not only pop culture but American history. Black Is King uplifts Black Americans and inspires them to further learn about their own heritage and cultures. Films like this are significant because they allow multi-generations to understand that they should be proud of where they come from and that their history didn’t end or begin with colonization, it was interrupted. This film will allow you to escape into a world that has never been seen before and it is truly one of the most beautiful musical albums ever created.

Sorry To Bother You

Streaming: Hulu (With Subscription)

Warnings:
Drugs
Graphic Nudity
Sex
Extreme Violence
Language

 Rating: R

Sorry To Bother You is a whimsical dark comedy that is unlike any other. It is written and directed by Boots Riley in his directorial debut. The film has a long list of stars as the cast such as LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, David Cross, Steven Yeun and Danny Glover just to name a few. Sorry to Bother You premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2018 and was theatrically released in July 2018. The film received positive reviews for its cast and concept as well as the screenplay and direction. Sorry To Bother You was nominated for seven awards and won the Top Ten Independent Films by the National Board of Review as well as the Best First Feature from the Independent Spirit Awards. The budget of the film was $3.2 million, and it made $18.3 million in the box office. Overall, the film was successful in result of its casting, creative ambition, and the political commentary. Sorry To Bother You is a fantasy, political satire, and horror wrapped up into a truth telling film that comments on Capitalism in an artistic approach.

Sorry To Bother You is set in an alternative modern version of Oakland, following a young Black telemarketer who adopts a white accent to become more successful at his job. He gets mixed up in an unimaginable corporate conspiracy and must choose between his morality and a paycheck. Sorry To Bother You creates awkward tension through physical comedy, satirical advertisements, and exaggerated actions throughout the film. In addition to the awkward tension, the characters are so over the top that they are all extremes of what they represent. For example, the activists in the film are the most dedicated versions of an activist, and to another extreme, the wealthy capitalists at one point douse each other in champagne. At every level of the film the characters are exaggerated and they each make a point with that exaggeration. Even different messages are embedded about real events throughout the film, the character Detroit (Tessa Thompson) wears artistic earrings, and they are commented on repeatedly by her friends. At one point in the film, Detroit wears a pair of earrings with the phrases “Bury the rag” and “Deep in your face.” These phrases are lyrics from the song, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” by Bob Dylan. This song is a protest song about a poor African American woman who was murdered by an affluent white man. Creative choices like this are what makes this film great, it requires the audience to pay attention even further beyond the film and educates while doing so.

Along with the different messages scattered throughout the film, the commentary on capitalism is the loudest message. The film is a radical class analysis that focuses on how the wealthy class exploits the poverty class to a point where there are no boundaries. The term “Sorry To Bother You” references the general usage from telemarketers when making calls but it’s also a polite interruption of the film telling the audience something they might not be ready to hear.
“When you're telling someone something that is different from how they view things, different from how they view the world, it feels like an annoyance or a bother. And that's where that comes from,” Riley made this statement when discussing the film on the show Democracy Now! The film includes distinctive ways to remind the working class how much power they have in protest against the wealthy class. Sorry To Bother You examines real corporations and amplifies corporate actions in the film to the next level to prove a point, this allows the audience to compare and contrast the problems being faced in the film to their own hardships in life.

Last but not least, the acting in the film was phenomenal. Originally, Danny Glover was supposed to play the main character Cassius Green, but his schedule conflicted with filming as the lead, so he recommended his co-star LaKeith Stanfield for the role instead. LaKeith played Cassius or “Cash,” perfectly, his entire desire throughout the film was to become wealthy and his name reflects that. Portraying his activist girlfriend in the film is Tessa Thompson and her role is beyond engaging since her character is powerful, quirky and intelligent. Alongside them, Jermaine Fowler plays their amusing friend whose awkward humor oftentimes steals the show. The audience also sees Steven Yeun in a new light playing a labor organizing activist who is for the people through and through. This combination of actors carried the story in an interesting and diverse way through their wide variety of experiences and talent.

In conclusion, Sorry To Bother You is unique, artistic and beyond what anyone could ever expect. The ambitious story critiques the cruelty of large corporations who take advantage of the poverty class and exposes new perspectives that would otherwise not be seen in Hollywood. Through the acting, political commentary, and the incomparable story, Sorry To Bother You has become an instant cult classic. I highly recommend this film to anyone who is interested in something that will shock them while making them think.

Barry

Streaming Service: Netflix (With Subscription)

Warnings:
Sex
Language
Mild Violence
Racism
Smoking/Drugs
Rating: NC-17

The 2016 film Barry depicts Barack Obama in a light that has never been seen before by the American people. Barry is a semi-historical biopic drama following Obama during a small part of his college years at Columbia. This film was screened in the Special presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival, and later released to Netflix in December 2016. The film was directed by Vikram Gandhi who is also known for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Kumaré and a few episodes for the TV series Vice. The screenplay was written by the novelist Adam Mansbach and the cinematography was executed by Adam Newport-Berra who is known for The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Euphoria, and Creative Control. Debut feature film of actor Devon Terrell is completely convincing as if the audience is watching the real young Obama navigate an identity crisis of being a mixed man in the 1980s in New York. Along with the acting, the artful cinematography adds to the story in a way that examines Obama’s personal journey. However, some of the critics of this film were not satisfied, which I can address later.

Devon Terrell played Obama perfectly, he recreated the doubts and struggles that Obama had to endure as a mixed man attending a predominantly white Ivy League University in the early 80s. He portrays Obama in a phase where he didn’t always feel accepted nor did he always feel as if he understood his own place in the world. This adversity is examined in a genuine way and allows the audience to see Obama through a lens that is not often displayed to the American people. The film does a great job examining how Obama didn’t always feel as if he fit in with Black or White worlds and how difficult it was to find himself.

The cinematography was incredibly subtle but simultaneously cerebral. The camerawork wasn’t necessarily placing the audience in the scene but rather examining Obama’s emotions throughout the film. In addition to observing Obama, the camera lingers on tense moments and holds the shot, allowing the emotion to be fully felt by the characters and the audience. The lingering camera shots is an interesting choice for a film that is so subtle, but it works with how contemplative Obama as a person tends to be. Oftentimes in the film, the cinematographer uses a soft focus to accentuate the emotion that is being displayed and this technique works well in uplifting and unfortunate scenes. Lastly, an interesting moment in the film is when the cinematographer chose to reenact now famous photographs that are of Obama during his college years. This is a noteworthy moment because it gives a glimpse into Obama’s past and highlights relationships that he previously had. These aspects of the camerawork makes the cinematography carry the story in a positive way.

Overall, the film was well received, however some critics didn’t like that some facts were not accurate, and they had no reason to be changed. In addition to certain facts being dismissed, the film can be so subtle that is comes off as flat or boring, however if one is truly examining the camerawork during those “flat” moments, Barry is interesting and thought provoking. And finally, the biggest issue people disliked about the film was that it did not show how Obama became who he is today, it also did not show how Obama was inspired to become who he is today. However, in response to that, I think he was still figuring himself out. The film depicted him finally understanding himself as a mixed individual but does not continue that journey of him becoming a politician. With that being said, it wouldn’t make sense to allude to his inspiration for his political career that early on because he wasn’t at that point in his life yet.

In conclusion, I truly think that this film is an interesting interpretation of history. The creators certainly showcase their skills through the direction, camerawork and acting which drove the film to be thought provoking, honest and heartfelt. One aspect of the film that is also strong is the fact that Obama was not depicted as a perfect human being, this allows the audience to view him as a regular person which is necessary when creating a biography. Hopefully the critics give this film another chance with the above statements in mind because the film is very enjoyable.

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Streaming Service: Netflix (With Subscription)

Warnings:
Sex
Nudity
Explicit Language

Rating: R

The Forty-Year-Old Version is a comedy film written, directed and produced by Radha Blank. It is her feature directional debut, she also starred in the film and it was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review. The Forty-Year-Old Version had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award. Radha plays a down on her luck NY teacher and playwright, who is nearing her 40th birthday and she is eager for an artistic breakthrough. She isn’t feeling fulfilled with her work as a playwright, so she reinvents herself as RadhaMUSPrime and she wavers between the world of Hip Hop and the world of Playwriting in order to find her creative voice. This film validates middle aged women while highlighting what Black artists have to endure in a whitewashed art world. The three main things that stand out about this film is the cinematography, acting and the music. This comedy is so unique and completely different from any other cinema I have viewed, I don’t think there are any other films like it.
            This first aspect of the film that I would like to call attention to is the cinematography. The cinematography is beautifully executed by Eric Branco who is known for Clemency, Night Shift, and V/H/S. The forty-year-old version was shot in 35mm film and is in Black at white for most of the film. When memories or valued art are displayed, the film switches to color. Alongside the speckles of color throughout the film, they took a documentary style approach which allows the audience to view New York in a whole new light. The Camera often follows characters, shows things from Radha’s perspective, or sometimes it’s even comically used to emphasize the humor. The film even nods to Spike Lee by interviewing characters in Radha’s neighborhood while they are breaking the third wall and speaking directly into the camera. The framing throughout the film is balanced and symmetrical however, when Radha is emotionally expressing herself through her art, the camera changes to an extreme close up. This tension allows the viewer to better understand her struggle as well as her wishes.

The music in the film is extremely powerful because it allows Radha to express herself in a way that her playwriting does not; her music is even comical at times. Alongside the exceptional Hip Hop featured in the film, the casual jazz music when Radha is walking through the streets is beautiful. Joined with the cinematography, the music emphasizes important scenes in the film but also adds to the scene in a heartfelt way. The film does a wonderful job comparing storytelling between Hip Hop and playwriting while emphasizing how whitewashing Black art not only damages that community but also impairs the outsider’s perspective of that community.

Last but not least, the acting was amazing, Radha is able to make the audience feel completely uncomfortable when she is embarrassed or upset. With her genuine acting, her friendships seem real, as if they have known each other for decades. This authentic approach to her complex character allows Radha to capture an incredibly quick witted, goofy, and intelligent individual who is also completely relatable. On a few occasions, Radha bends down to do kneel and her knees crack, this small action becomes a hilarious additive to her characters many problems, specifically stressing her dilemma with being middle aged. Another thing worth noting is how some white characters represent the white gaze and are perfectly exemplified throughout the film. The film even illustrates different forms of the white gaze mixed with whitewashing Black art; the white characters in this film represent the obstacles that Black artists have to face when entering the art world. This addition to the film truly takes it over the top because it exposes a side of art that is often overlooked or disregarded.

The awards that The Forty-Year-old Version hopefully will receive will be well deserved. From the cinematography, acting, music and a perspective that is often ignored, this film allows the audience to escape into New York in a new light that hasn’t been represented in previous cinema. The Forty-Year-Old Version is a masterful work of art that creates space for more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) women in Hollywood, not only through comedy but also through proper cultural representation. The authenticity of this film speaks volumes of what needs to be changed in the art world and it certainly has created a space for more artists of color to speak their truth.

Disclosure

Streaming: Netflix (With Subscription)

Warnings:
Nudity
Violence
Sex

Rating: Not rated

            In the documentary Disclosure leading trans creatives, activists and actors share heartfelt perspectives on what it’s like to be trans in Hollywood and how it has impacted the trans community for decades. The documentary was created by trans director Sam Feder, who emphasized the importance of trans individuals telling their own stories. Disclosure walks through the history of misrepresentation in Hollywood, to emasculation of Black men at the expense of Black trans women. This documentary is truly unique with the experiences they are highlighting, especially when it comes to BIPOC trans individuals. The film interviews remarkable people from the Hollywood trans community like Laverne Cox, Bianca Leigh, and Jen Richards to name a few. An interesting additional fact is that the film crew was composed of trans crew members, and where this was not possible, the non-trans crew mentored trans trainees. Overall, this documentary went above and beyond to explain what proper trans representation looks like and expose the misrepresentation in Hollywood over the years.

One of the most important parts of this documentary is the acknowledgment of emasculation of men throughout Hollywood. Throughout Hollywood history, when a man puts on a dress, it is meant to be a joke or not to be taken seriously. Alongside that notion, when Black men or men of color are emasculated, they oftentimes are viewed as “nonthreatening” whereas when they are not dressed as women (or emasculated), they are considered violent, aggressive and intimidating. This specific notion is at the expense of Black trans women and trans women of color and creates a threatening misunderstanding of who trans women are and who men of color are for that matter. This is scattered throughout Hollywood in many different fashions and makes Hollywood an unsafe place for trans actors.

Alongside the misrepresentation of what masculinity and femininity are supposed to be, Hollywood has normalized violence against trans people in crime dramas, award winning feature films and even in the news. There is a trans woman trope in crime dramas and oftentimes the women are misgendered, their bodies are put on display in crude ways, and their personal privacy is not even considered. Trans women are often killed off in tv shows and films, which normalizes the act. This is part of the reason why trans people are murdered at a higher rate, and it’s even higher when they are of color. Disclosure makes an interesting point that in Hollywood, trans people are either misrepresented or on the flip side, not even acknowledged as trans. These misunderstandings of the trans community costs them their dignity, their mental health and sometimes even their lives.

Disclosure talks about how proper representation has started to change. There are roles being written for trans people that don’t focus the character’s entire identity around being trans. Trans actors are also starting to refuse to answer invasive questions about their bodies in interviews because it takes away from the fact that they are doing amazing things like modeling, acting in major roles, or even being activists in their own community. Disclosure discusses safe spaces for trans people like Ballroom and how they are starting to become more accepted in the LGBTQIA community. And lastly, Disclosure highlights the difficulty of being trans in a heteronormative CIS white society and how that can ware on a BIPOC trans individual mentally and physically. However, they also discuss how this is starting to change, they talk with elder actors who have been in Hollywood for a long time and examine how much they went through to get where they are. This acknowledgement brings hope to the future trans actors, writers, activists in Hollywood which also brings hope for the trans population as a whole.

Disclosure is a film that is unlike any other, they focus on so many aspects of societal misunderstandings and misrepresentations that have hindered trans individuals for decades and pinpoint exactly how those misunderstandings influence society. This documentary shows an ugly side of Hollywood that most people would not otherwise be exposed to. It is important to support films like this because they highlight not only the damage that these misrepresentations cause but how to change them for the future generations. Disclosure explores how changing the representation of trans people in Hollywood will help change the acceptance and normalize trans people in society.

The House I Live In

Streaming Service: Tubi (Free)

Warnings:
Graphic Images
Violence
Drug abuse

Rating: Not Rated

 The House I Live In is a truth telling documentary that uncovers an inside look on the War on Drugs. Written and directed by Eugene Jarecki, the documentary reveals the disproportionate arrests and sentencing against Black Americans and other people of color. The film was released in 2012 and was received with positive reviews; Roger Ebert stated, “The House I Live In makes a shattering case against the War on Drugs.” The film went on to win the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and later a Peabody Award in 2014. The House I Live In is striking and powerful because it includes personal stories, archival footage, professional interviews as well as breaking down the levels of destruction the War on Drugs causes. This documentary is an important film when it comes to understanding The War on Drugs as whole. The House I Live In is similar to the documentary 13th by Ava DuVernay; both films found similar conclusions, but they approach their research in different ways.

The House I Live In follows a personal story between Eugene Jarecki and one of his interviewees, Nanny Jetter. Nanny Jetter represents the Black elder perspective on the War on Drugs which is not often emphasized when discussing the drug epidemic. In addition to Nanny Jetter’s perspective, the film interviews professionals who are involved in the War on Drugs in different ways. From drug dealers, to narcotics officers, from politicians to the inmate being sentenced 20+ years in prison, and everyone in between, the film exposes profound human rights implications when it comes to the U.S. drug policy. The House I Live In does a wonderful job finding experts at every level to examine the War on Drugs to the full extent. This approach truly gives the viewer an understanding that hasn’t been portrayed entirely prior to this documentary.

Another aspect of the film worth noting is the archival footage that is used to portray the points of the interviewees. The footage emphasizes the words that the professionals are stating and took their points further than expected. By doing this, the audience cannot deny the War on Drugs, nor can they deny the horrific destruction it has caused to marginalized people in the United States. The film connects issues of race and class directly related to the War on Drugs and proves that it has never actually been about drugs. At one point of the film David Simon (creator of The Wire) states, “Let’s say it this way, if we kill the poor, we’re going to be a lot better off.” He said this while emphasizing that the War on Drugs is not about drugs. This documentary has many hard-hitting moments like this from professionals who have studied this epidemic from the inside out, to the average American’s naive perception, which shows most Americans are clearly oblivious to what is happening in their own back yards.

Last but not least, this film investigates different decades to underline the escalation of the War on Drugs, where it started and why it began in the first place. They also emphasize the difficult circumstances that people are put in who are illegally involved in the drug war while analyzing the humanity that is lost on many levels. Examining the War on Drugs throughout the years exposes the fact that there is no intention on ending this “war” in sight; the rehabilitation programs are the first to be cut for funding in prisons. Drug rehabilitation programs are often not an option for poor Americans and even after people get out of prison, it is extremely difficult to get a job, thus forcing the individual to repeat a cycle they don’t want to be in in the first place. The House I Live In highlights how this cycle is perpetuated and how this system of oppression is working exactly as it was designed to work.

In conclusion, The House I Live In is an important portrayal of American history, especially when studying the War on Drugs and even the class war in the United States. This film allows the audience to see the truth about the drug war that is oftentimes overlooked or misrepresented. The House I Live In crosses boundaries between the drug war that is not often analyzed which forces the audience to reconsider what some news and media has previously misrepresented. It is imperative to continue to support documentary filmmaking like this in order to change the conversation about the War on Drugs and change the future for the better.

Devil in a Blue Dress Review

Devil in a Blue Dress

A Neo-noir murder mystery

Streaming Service: Tubi (for free)

Warnings:
Explicit Language
Violence
Sex

Rating: R

 Devil in a Blue Dress is a fantastic neo-noir murder mystery based in the 1940s that was released in 1995. Written and directed by Carl Franklin, starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals, this film was destined to become a classic. Devil in a Blue Dress is based on the 1990 mystery novel of the same name written by Walter Ellis Mosley and the film certainly feels like it is adapted from a novel. The storyline is poetic and complex, so it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the film.  Even though most films cannot fully realize the books they are based on, Devil in a Blue Dress does a wonderful job to pay homage to the original story. Not only is the novel an important contribution to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) detective fiction, but the film also captures the importance of Black protagonists and how they would navigate the world at the time. Alongside the unique perspective of the film, the cinematography makes the audience feel as if they are alongside Denzel Washington’s character, Easy Rawlins. Devil in a Blue Dress highlights great actors and interesting camerawork, but it also emphasizes true cinematic artistry through painful memories throughout the film. Devil in a Blue Dress is similar to such films like Out of Time and For Queen & Country.

Easy Rawlins (Denzel Washington) is a recently laid off veteran looking for work so he can maintain his mortgage and avoid losing his house. At his friend’s bar, he is introduced to a white man Dewitt Albright (Tom Sizemore) who is looking for someone to help him find a missing white woman in exchange for some extra money. Easy Rawlins innocently accepts the job and becomes drawn into the search for the mysterious woman named Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals) assumed to be hiding somewhere in LA’s Black community.  Rawlins quickly finds himself amidst murder, crooked cops, and cold-blooded politicians.

The first notable part of the film is the cinematography by Tak Fujimoto. He is known for such films as Pretty in Pink, The Silence of the Lambs, Signs, and The Sixth Sense to name a few. The artful cinematography in Devil in a Blue Dress was the first thing I noticed while reviewing the film. The camera plays with perspective in a way that is masterful and unique. Some scenes seem to be from Easy Rawlins’ point of view while others are directly from the audience’s perspective as if they are in the scene observing. This technique draws the audience into the film in a way that is not often included in neo-noir thrillers at the time. Along with these artistic choices, Fujimoto also uses a slow reveal numerous times throughout the film to build suspense, forcing the audience to feel uneasy and intrigued. Another artistic choice worth noting is the way memories and nightmares are depicted in the film. They are often overlayed with what is happening in the scene to emphasize the emotional burden that memory holds for the character. This was a thought-provoking choice since most people usually use flashbacks to depict memories in full and Devil in a Blue Dress does not take the same approach. With that in mind, it is evident that Fujimoto used some of his past horror film experiences to influence the way he depicted some scenes in this film.

The acting is an important part of the film worth noting because Denzel Washington was just starting to gain recognition as the amazing actor he is. Devil in a Blue Dress was the first film where Don Cheadle received widespread notice for his portrayal as Mouse Alexander; he won Best Supporting Actor from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for his role in this film along with many other awards and recognition. Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle are both electric yet calculated in the most intense scenes rendering the audience powerless to look away. Jennifer Beals (known for Flashdance) portrayed Daphne Monet, appeals to the audience through her mysterious mannerisms and the mystery leaves the audience wanting more. Overall, the acting truly carries the film and the interactions between the characters feels genuine. 

Even though the film received generally positive reviews, Devil in a Blue Dress was ultimately considered to be a failure because it flopped in the box office, grossing only $16.1 million against a budget of $27 million. This goes to show that box office flops are not always trustworthy. Devil in a Blue Dress is one of the most unique and significant neo-noir films of our time because of its creators, actors, and contribution to BIPOC cinema. It created a space for more filmmakers to tell their story through the lens of a BIPOC protagonist trying to make it in a society that was built against them. Hopefully this film encourages more artists of color to create cinema that challenges the norm and supports art that is different and inspirational.