Films made specifically to win over liberal Academy voters seem to have become something of a subgenre as of late. Look no further than last year’s Green Book as a prime example of this very focused kind of filmmaking. Those of you who read my reviews know full well that I endorsed Peter Farrelly’s film and even selected it as Best Picture on my own list. However, there were plenty of people who didn’t agree with the selection and those opinions shouldn’t be discredited or ignored just because we’re on opposite sides here. Whether or not you enjoyed that film, there’s an undeniable sheen of redundancy. The Best of Enemies seemingly has all the hallmarks of Oscar hopefuls but it’s an otherwise fairly generic and familiar offering.
This film, based on Osha Gray Davidson’s book of the same name, is a true story set to the backdrop of school integration in North Carolina during the Civil Rights era in 1971. Unfortunately, between the book, the title, and the trailer, the entire premise of the film is given away without ever stepping foot in the theater. Somehow, this movie still boasts a hefty runtime of two-hours and thirteen minutes. In hindsight, it was likely an effort on Director Robin Bissell’s part to allow his two capable lead actors to win over the audience and, given the circumstances, it was probably the right decision.
Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell were both fantastic in their roles as Civil Rights activist Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis, exalted something-or-other of the Ku Klux Klan, respectively. While both of the portrayals were charismatic, the narratives were completely off balance. With a film such as this, that’s designed with social commentary at the forefront, it’s important to first present the roles in the proper context if any meaningful discussion is to be had afterward.
Bissell adapted the screenplay and his decision to take a high ranking Klansman and paint him in a sympathetic light was an interesting choice, to say the least. I understand the need to humanize Ellis here because his character arc/growth wouldn’t be rewarding without it, but the lack of contextualizing the man was alarming. Ellis was no run-of-the-mill small town racist, he was a Klan leader…a teacher and organizer…a propagator of hate. However, the entirety of his actions was conspicuous by its absence. I may be a bit hazy on the recall but the only real bad thing he does is shoot up a white woman’s house over rumors of her dating a black man. Just enough to make sure the audience knows he’s a racist but, even with that, he’s basically painted as the victim from the very outset and that’s seriously missing the bigger picture. Rockwell played a similar kind of character not that long ago in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and he did a similarly good job returning to the ignorant racist once again. He isn’t the one making the decisions behind the camera so there’s no use in blaming him and Rockwell may very well find himself in the middle of awards season conversations once again. It’s just abundantly clear that the movie is about Ellis and his journey of reformation far more than the substantive issues that were being dealt with throughout the film.
Opposite Rockwell, Henson is very strong in what amounts to a hefty supporting role even though she got top billing. Her character, Atwater, is established early as a prominent member of the black community in Durham and, early on, it seemed as though the movie would be hers. However, Bissell shifted the narrative and used her primarily as a vehicle of change for Ellis. She probably was largely responsible for his character development but Henson and Atwater both got shortchanged. Numerous times throughout the film, she is painted (not quite as the villain but) as the one who needs to change, needs to be more tolerant, and needs to make concessions. Credit to Henson for pouring her heart into the character and delivering a fiery performance; it’s just a shame Atwater wasn’t wholly represented here and Ellis was. It’s still early but this portrayal should garner some warranted attention during awards season.
Shayna Markowitz and Debra Zane cast a strong group of supporting actors led by Babou Ceesay playing the arbitrator tasked with tackling the issue of school integration, Bill Riddick. He serves as the reluctant bridge between Atwater and Ellis, and ultimately two halves of a divided community. Ceesay’s smooth demeanor played well off Henson and Rockwell, giving him a decidedly advantageous position as the mediator. Anne Heche had a nice small role as C.P.’s wife Mary and, although she was kind of trashy at times, she served as the only moral compass in the Ellis household. Wes Bentley was almost unrecognizable (in a good way) playing one of C.P.’s lieutenants in the Klan. He was certainly the stereotypical Klansmen but it would have been nice to see him play a larger role considering the quality he brought to the table. A slew of veterans such as Nick Searcy, Bruce McGill, and John Gallagher Jr. had important but not critical roles. The pieces were in place and it helped deliver a strong product across the board.
Marcelo Zarvos composed the original music for the film but it was really the soundtrack that stood out more than anything. Music Supervisor Al Manerson had a tough task combining the very distinct Civil Rights Era with a contemporary sound for the modern audience but he married the two nicely. The track list includes songs from Roy Orbison, The Meters, David Bowie, and the movie is capped off by John Legend’s “Preach” playing over the end credits. At this point, it will certainly be in the conversation for Best Soundtrack at the end of the year.
From the cinematography to the set dressing to the costumes, the filmmaking shouldn’t be discounted. There is a distinct look and feel when it comes to important films and The Best of Enemies definitely has that “it” factor. Even so, this was a well-made true story but nothing we haven’t seen before about an uneducated racist reformer who has a change of heart. While it had all the makings of an epic period piece, it ended up being not bad.
Recommendation: See it for the strong performances and the presentation. I expected one thing and got another, so prepare yourself going in and you make be able to take more away from it.