Movie Review – ‘Blindspotting’
Blindspotting may be ending its theatrical run, but this is a movie that definitely deserves your time.
2018 has been a fantastic year for black representation in film. Get Out was nominated for four Academy Awards and took home a trophy for Best Original Screenplay, Black Panther broke box office records and is currently the second highest grossing film of the year, and two of the most critically acclaimed films of summer – Sorry to Bother You and BlacKkKlansman – are still playing in theaters. Yet there is still one excellent little indie film that probably got overlooked amongst the higher-profile movies. That film would be Blindspotting.
Set in Oakland, California, Blindspotting tells the story of a man named Collin. On his final three days of probation, Collin finally has a chance at a new beginning. But his lifelong friend, Miles, may set him back due to his volatile nature. The bond between Collin and Miles is then put to the test when their difference in character starts to clash.
Like BlacKkKlansman and Sorry to Bother You, Blindspotting is another dramatic film that tackles real-world issues through comedy. The humor in Blindspotting works exceedingly well, and that helps the audience get though the layers of thematic tension. This is not a movie about one subject matter; this is a movie about racism, police brutality, gentrification, cultural appropriation, identity, and so much more. The film may be funny and light in tone, but it can get dark, tense, suspenseful, and dramatic, rather quickly.
The drama in Blindspotting is completely held up by the chemistry between Collin and Miles. Collin wants to move on from his past – he literally works on a moving truck after all – but he learns that one small moment can define how others perceive you. While Miles seems to be stuck in the past, unwilling to accept change (which could be large changes to the neighborhood or small characteristics within himself). The two characters just feel well fleshed out, and the chemistry between the two actors is excellent. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal may be relatively new actors, but they carried this film extraordinarily well. Their dialogue, body language, and facial expressions, all helped sell the idea that Diggs and Casal were portraying lifelong friends. Which is a good thing, considering that the duo also wrote the film together.
Diggs and Casal have claimed that they had been working on this project for years, stating that cinematic portrayals of the San Francisco Bay Area have constantly “missed something.” They wanted their script to have a heightened sense of reality, but also keep it grounded in the real culture and community of Oakland. And they did a pretty damn good job. Blindspotting is a sharp, clever, and witty film, with a fresh, unique, and original style. It may not be as wild as something like Sorry to Bother You, but I think the more realistic tone actually aided in the film’s favor.
Of course, we can’t forget the director himself, Carlos Lopez Estrada. As his directorial debut, Estrada knocked it out of the park. I’m honestly surprised Estrada himself didn’t co-write the film, since Blindspotting is such a small, personal, and intimate story about a community of people. And Estrada seemed to have an excellent grasp of the tone and style that Diggs and Casal were going for. On top of that, all of the other technical aspects are incredible as well. There is a beautiful use of color (especially red and blue), the tight pacing and 90-minute runtime made the film flow nicely, music is implemented in a very thought-provoking manner, and the heavy subject matter is balanced out by the light tone.
There are certain moments in the film where characters just randomly start rapping. For the most part, I enjoyed these scenes. They allowed us to understand what are characters were thinking without feeling like we’re being fed boring exposition. But other times, the rapping wouldn’t match the tone of the scene. There is a fantastic and suspenseful sequence near the end of the film where Collin confronts someone who has caused him psychological trauma. Though the scene is tense and thought-provoking, it can also be a bit awkward because Collin just starts rapping. His lyrics are engaging and stimulating, but I just think the execution of certain scenes like these could have been handled better.
Blindspotting may feel like a small film when compared to movies like Get Out or even BlacKkKlansman, but I firmly believe that they all belong in the same conversation. This is a film that addresses issues like gentrification, police violence, and racism, all while having a fun a lighthearted tone. The acting, the writing, and the directing, just helped solidify Blindspotting as a must-see movie. Not many people have seen it, but I would strongly contend that Blindspotting is one of the best films of the year.
