Anthony's Film Review - Blindspotting (2018)

The performances are riveting in this powerful film about race and class...

Blindspotting is a drama film that would definitely be described as contemporary and relevant. It's one of those films that is set in a real-life location and features the same kind of issues that are on the minds of many ordinary people. In this case, it takes place in Oakland, California, a city that, in the eyes of many, encompasses a large segment of the population in low socioeconomic classes and a smaller portion with relatively wealthy residents. It's also a city that may be changing, with outside wealth moving in to gentrify the place. While that sounds nice, there is still a serious issue that in recent years has plagued African-American communities across the United States: shootings of unarmed black men by white police officers. Blindspotting puts all of this together to provide a fascinating backdrop for the story.

The main characters are two men who had known each other in West Oakland since childhood. Collin, played by Daveed Diggs, is a black man who is a convicted felon but has been given a chance to redeem himself, in the form of a one-year probation during which he has to adhere to requirements such as steady employment and an 11 PM curfew. Miles, played by Rafael Casal, is white but has adopted the culture and language of the streets so much that he fits right at home in a black ghetto. Though I will elaborate a bit more later, I'll say this right now. The two stars here deliver incredible performances and really make their characters come alive. Oh, and they also wrote the screenplay, which is fantastic.

The story in this movie is mainly just about everyday blue-collar life in Oakland, taking place during Collin's last three days of probation. Both Collin and Miles work as employees for a moving company, responding to requests to move furniture from one house to another, or, in the case of a new resident looking to remodel an old home for real estate profit, dumping out all belongings of the previous residents who appear to be deceased victims of violent crime. In between, Miles is living with his significant other, a black woman, who is the mother of their biracial child, and Collin spends a little time with his ex-girlfriend of Indian descent. There are also segments involving Collin running for exercise, a party that Collin and Miles go to, and an amusing part with Miles making a scene in a beauty salon. Through it all, the actions and the dialogue are all natural and something we can relate to.

The meaning of this film's title is directly explained sometime during the second half. It's so nicely written that I won't spoil it here. Even so, you can sort of figure it out early on following a key scene in the beginning. While driving home from work late at night, Collin witnesses a black man running from a white police officer and getting shot by the cop even while unarmed and still in the act of fleeing. The victim is shown in the side mirror of Collin's vehicle, in a spot that would be a blind spot for many drivers. Meanwhile, the officer had fired his gun while standing directly outside Collin's driver side door, and does not realize he was witnessed until he fully turns his head to the left and sees Collin. Besides being a major plot element, this situation is a metaphor for the theme of this film: looking at people at an angle different from the one you're used to can open your eyes, and ultimately your heart and mind.

That fits with the wonderful way the film handles racial stereotypes. It practically throws them out the window. Actually, I should correct that. What this film does is to move those racial stereotypes to other racial groups, to show that people are more alike than one might see. I'm not just talking about Miles being a white guy acting like a black guy who grew up in the hood, or how not all black characters talk or act like they're from the ghetto. I'm also talking about a memorable scene with an Indian guy talking ghetto. The scene is great not just for how interesting it is to hear him, but also for how the character is telling a flashback story that sheds important light on both Collin and Miles.

While that scene is certainly one of the best in the movie, there's still one that tops it all: the climactic scene where Collin finally confronts the issue of the unarmed black man killed by a white cop. I shall not reveal the details, but let's just say that it's brilliant for two reasons. One, the setup is creative and original, one that I imagine an amateurish screenwriter is not likely to come up with. Two, the execution involves an emotional in-your-face performance from Daveed Diggs as Miles. This is a scene where you are forced to see his vivid bodily and facial expressions and to hear the words he delivers with intensity. Honestly, this actor deserves to at least be nominated for, if not win, top acting awards. The same goes for the equally fiery Rafael Casal as Miles throughout the rest of the movie.

There's one more character I want to talk about: the city of Oakland, CA. For one thing, it is getting more attention in the movies lately. It's brushed upon in the baseball-related movie Moneyball and the Marvel superhero movie Black Panther. It's also the prime setting of Fruitvale Station and Sorry to Bother You. Now you can add Blindspotting to the list. For me, Oakland is a place I have come to know in recent years, so I am personally familiar with some of it. Blindspotting does a great job, in its opening and throughout the film, of featuring the different aspects of Oakland, both good and bad. You can see glimpses of the Fox Theater on Telegraph Avenue, the nicer neighborhoods of Oakland, a public mural, and the buildings of downtown, along with lower class homes in East and West Oakland, homeless encampments, street sideshows with cars spinning donuts, and an occasional fight on a BART train. You can also see the people's pride in their local sports teams: the Oakland Athletics baseball team, the Oakland Raiders football team, and especially the Golden State Warriors basketball team, which is referenced more than the A's and Raiders in this movie given that the Warriors went from decades of mediocrity to winning three NBA championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018.

In conclusion, Blindspotting is powerful and memorable. It's definitely a not-to-miss drama from 2018. It's also, at times, a lighthearted and even funny celebration of living life no matter who you are or where you live. Alluding to what I said earlier, this is a film that will first open your eyes, then open your heart and mind. I will even go as far as to say that this is a great film about urban America and the ordinary people living in it. Trust me. Watching Blindspotting will help you appreciate them.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Blindspotting, visit the Internet Movie Database.