Lee presents the story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), the first black police officer in Colorado Springs who, with the help of his Jewish partner Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver), infiltrates the Colorado chapter of the KKK. Ron goes undercover as... Ron Stallworth, a white, racial epithet spewing man in desperate hopes of becoming a KKK member. Through the phone, Ron cons the president of "The Organization" into getting a meeting. However, being that he is African-American, he uses Flip as his body-double of sorts to get in with the group. Once inside, the two of them collect info, ruin dozens of cross-burning attempts, and foil plans of violence against a group of black college protestors.
It's an intriguing story from the get, but Lee has added his own flavor to the film. What could've been a paint-by-numbers structured biopic, has become an enjoyable film ripe with humor, despair, and tension. Washington (who is the spitting image - in both look and voice - of his younger father, Denzel) is wonderful in the film. He's perfectly cast as Ron who is young enough to go for the big mission, yet naive enough to accidentally use his real name. Washington breathes real life into the character who feels authentic in his portrayal of a straight-edge rookie cop with big aspirations of taking down all the bad guys. There's certainly a 70s blaxploitation aesthetic to the film, but it never feels disingenuous and Washington plays a big part of this. I've also really started to come around on Adam Driver (since his stint in the Star Wars films and especially his role in Logan Lucky) and he doesn't disappoint here either. While the two men portray the same "fictional" person, neither of them attempt to act as the other or even try and sound like the other. While watching the film, it was a bit jarring that they didn't do this - however, after some reflection I realized this is more an indictment of the Klansmen and their hate-fueled blindness of reality. The two sound nothing alike and the only character who ever distrusts Flip, only does it because he's a genuinely paranoid person.
Topher Grace (yes, you read that right) pops up as David Duke, the Grand Dragon and anal wart of the KKK. He's portrayed as an utter boob, and Grace does a great job, but even he doesn't feel like a caricature. None of the Klansmen are either. While it would've been really easy (and lazy) to portray these men as anything but hateful backwater hicks, Lee has also given them some humanity as well. Not so that you can necessarily understand their views, but so you can see that even the most normal "God-fearin" men (and women) can have the most evil in their hearts. Lee is able to weave these characters into a biting social commentary that will make you chuckle as often as it makes you squirm. A lot of the movie is fun and even has a bit of a buddy-cop feel to it - one that you expect to end with a freeze frame of Ron and Flip high-fiving, but unfortunately, that's not how the real world works. The ending of the movie is nothing short of heart-breaking. Not because everything goes wrong and everyone is killed (they're not), but because of the revelation that nothing in this country involving racial tolerance has hardly changed at all.
The film is wholly engrossing and tragic. It should be watched by everyone, but understand that while you may have some fun in certain parts of the film - this is not an easy movie to watch, nor is it any easier to digest. It's the perfect movie for the time and paired with Sorry to Bother You, we've got some artists right now who are really opening eyes in clever and creative and artistic ways to those who may be uninformed or close-minded. BlacKkKlansman is a triumph for Spike Lee and a very necessary movie for these trying times. However, I recommend making this movie a double feature. Because once you're done with the film - emotionally drained and exhausted - you'll need something like The Meg to distract you from the real evil still happening in the world today.
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