Viewed in
2007
Premise
One hot day in New York, temperature and racial tension are on the rise.
Who should watch
Spike Lee fans.
Thoughts
The first three quarters of the film, were amazing. It was full of color, character, humor, bite, music and style. I felt like I was watching a Shakespearean play. I loved every speech, every monologue, every dialogue.
Like a lot of Spike Lee films, race was the main theme of exploration. Most of it was black and white, but Asians and Latinos got their say as well. My favorite scene was a playful scene in which different actors break the fourth wall and shout racial slurs at the camera until one of them shouts 'Enough!'.
Another wonderful thing was the casting. The acting was great, from the legends to the newcomers. Historically speaking, this film put Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson and John Turturro on the map.
What prevented this film from greatness was the last act. Maybe my life background did not understand. But the actions by the main character were curious choices considering the film's title and dialogue by the great Ossie Davis. Nevertheless, kudos to Spike Lee for not going formulaic.
What I would change
Nothing.
