That may be a small (or even semantic) difference, but it’s also one that emphasizes the work of social concord over the relief of an unburdened conscience (“An Unlikely Friendship” also happens to be the title of the short documentary that Diane Bloom made on the subject). “The Best of Enemies” isn’t inspired by a “true” friendship, but rather by an “unlikely” one. “Inspired by a true friendship” isn’t a tagline so much as it is a receipt a preemptive defense against how fun and easy such films make it seem for someone to unlearn their racist worldview and put centuries of messiness behind them. ![]() Of course this phenomenon might owe less to the movies than it does to how they’re marketed, but it’s hard not to feel like the white men who directed these dramas (and/or the white audiences they directed them for) are skeptical of the idea that they might have anything in common with people of color. New Movies: Release Calendar for April 7, Plus Where to Watch the Latest FilmsĢ023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesĢ023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Scripted Variety Series 'How to Blow Up a Pipeline' Review: An Environmental Terrorism Thriller Without Stakes Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for giving this dynamic a maternal twist in “The Blind Side,” which was “based on the extraordinary true story,” while “The Upside” - a recent hit that was merely “based on a true story” - still managed to make an extraordinary amount of money. Church” was “inspired by a true friendship.” So was “ Green Book,” even if the truth of its friendship is more complicated than Nick Vallelonga might have us believe. And not just any friendship, but true friendship. When it forces white people to put some of their own skin in the game.įeel-good Hollywood movies about race in America - specifically the ones that are meant to assuage white audiences of the latent guilt they feel about the historical and ongoing treatment of black people in this country - tend to hinge on the concept of friendship. I am deeply moved by it.Robin Bissell’s “ The Best of Enemies” may not be some kind of game-changing corrective to all the retrograde films about race in America (we’re talking about an uplifting historical biopic directed by the executive producer of “Seabiscuit”), but this sturdy drama has the good sense to recognize that allyship is only valuable when it’s hard. It is a thought provoking and truly inspiring tale. It tells a process of increasing mutual understanding, thereby reaching a groundbreaking consensus. The story is captivating and beautifully told. “This film tells the story of two opposing parties in the racially segregated society decades ago. ![]() Henson) knows how both people and life work. ![]() Robin Bissell and Osha Gray Davidson (inspired by true events chronicled in ‘The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South’) Ann Atwater (Taraji P. ![]() The population of Durham is 10,701,022 with a breakdown of 68.68% White and 21.44% Black or African American. I would not have wanted to live in Durham in 1971, but now I have friends that travel there to golf and others talk about moving there. This is an excellent movie and the actors did an incredible job. Ellis gets an education about reliability and bravery.
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