In a world where truth is often stranger than fiction, films based on true stories are frequently some of the most enjoyable. The non-fiction label has become something of a marketing tactic over the past few decades…and it works. There have already been 10 films based on true stories so far this year, with another seven on the way before the end of 2018. Factual accuracy aside, true stories inspire us to learn for ourselves in a more personal way. Perhaps the most compelling of the genre are true crime stories…they seem to captivate public attention in a way that others simply can’t. While White Boy Rick may not be the most compelling true crime offering, it’s still superbly acted and very well told.
This is the story of Ricky Wershe Jr. As a teenager, he first became an FBI informant and then a drug kingpin in Detroit during the mid-to-late 80s. The film takes a look at his family life and the circumstances that led to his life decisions before he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for narcotics trafficking.
Casting a complete unknown in the titular role was a gamble, but Richie Merritt was exceptionally refreshing. He injected a level of unbridled enthusiasm and swagger that you just don’t see very often. Rick isn’t really a complicated character, but he is a product of his environment. In this case, the relationships with his arms-dealing father and opioid-addict sister combined with the overall economic conditions of Detroit that shaped his attitudes, mentality, and character. There were a lot of layers to balance, especially for a 15-year-old with no prior acting experience, but there’s very a clear and undeniable authenticity that Merritt brought to the screen. He was helped along the way by a smart and funny screenplay that harnessed that gritty realism, funneling it in the right direction. It will be interesting to see how Studio 8 and the other production companies go about their campaigns for awards season since Merritt plays the title character but still takes second billing. After watching the film, you’d be hard pressed to say he isn’t the lead but recognition in the Best Actor category is hard to come by. Nonetheless, the young man from Baltimore is the standout performer in a film that has significant star power around him and, one way or another, he deserves to be recognized for his portrayal.
Oddly enough, Merritt didn’t even know who Matthew McConaughey was when production began. The Oscar-winning actor got the chance to play mentor, both in and out of character, and the pair developed a nice working relationship that translated into palpable chemistry that plays wonderfully on screen. As Rick senior, McConaughey is the man most directly responsible for his son’s life trajectory. While his methodology can certainly be questioned, there’s no doubt that Rick is just trying to do right by his children the best way he knows how. The native Texan always displays a natural charisma that brings all of his characters to life and this was no exception. A wild balance of manic entrepreneurialism and self-loathing help paint the portrait of a struggling father in Detroit during the late 1980s. McConaughey and Merritt needed one another to define their own characters but that will only add to the category confusion for both of them down the line. Either way, expect to see these two names again when the nominations are coming out at year’s end.
Whenever there’s a strong cast put together, the first name that should pop into your head should be Francine Maisler. Her resume reads like the nominees’ list at the Oscars and if there were an Academy Award for best casting, she’d definitely have a wheelbarrow full of hardware by now. She did it yet again with this movie, adding the likes of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rory Cochran, Eddie Marsan, Jonathan Majors, and Brian Tyree Henry along with legends like Bruce Dern and Piper Laurie. There is simply no way any film Maisler is attached to is going to be poorly acted…you can take that to the bank.
Yann Demange is not a well-known director in American circles, but that’s probably all going to change now. This was an intrepid, authentic look at a city plagued by poverty in the midst of the drug epidemic…with a refined blend of humor and desperation. The French director showcased the city with dilapidated vibrancy, making the environment an ominous character with no speaking lines. Aside from strong performances up front, the film’s biggest strength was the screenplay by twin brothers Logan and Noah Miller along with Andy Weiss. In all likelihood, none of these guys have ever written anything you’ve heard of but the dialogue is punchy and quick-witted without being patronizing or condescending. You’ll find yourself laughing a lot, but it’s not punchline guided and cedes naturally to the heavier dramatic tones throughout the script.
Unfortunately, the primary narrative takes a while to get going and once it gets there it lollygags without any real sense of urgency. For people with no prior knowledge of these characters, it feels slow until near the halfway point and doesn’t pick up a ton of momentum once things actually do start rolling downhill. At an hour and fifty-one minutes, the film is plenty long already and the miscalculation with the pacing only drags the inevitable out further. It’s not as though the film needed a massive overhaul in the editing room, but Chris Wyatt could certainly have trimmed close to 10 minutes off the final product.
Max Richter overlaid masterfully ominous original music, built on powerful organ music and synthesized percussion, onto the downtrodden visuals of withering neighborhoods in the bleak winter. Cinematographer Tat Radcliffe framed those visuals wonderfully and also did a wonderful job using natural lighting to accent particular scenes. Due to the relative lack of vibrancy in the environment, the strong musical compositions provided much more emotional energy than we get on screen alone. Despite this dreadful sense of foreboding, there is the noticeable influence of gospel music which has a rich history in Detroit and it permeates the score with hopefulness. It was certainly one of the better scores this year, but it carries a heavier tone than the rest of the film. Richter should be near the top of the list when it comes to Best Original score but, typically, this type of music doesn’t seem to be what Academy voters are looking for.
This was one of those movies riding a significant hype wave into its opening weekend. It was being marketed as part Scarface, part American Gangster but it never really ascended to that level. There are good performances and it’s well made from a production standpoint, but it seemed to be missing that extra something special. At the end of the day, it’s still pretty good even if it’s not the best film this year.
Recommendation: If you enjoy true crime movies, then this is right up your alley. No question, it’s mostly performance driven and there’s really no mystery here but the glimpse into that point in time in the country is an interesting one. This is not one for the kids although there isn’t any gratuitous sex or violence I can think of…just profanity. With tempered expectations, you can walk away satisfied.