Black or White
It’s far from ground-breaking in its social statements, butBlack or Whiteis still a solid comedy/drama buoyed by good performances all around.
Black or Whitetell the tale of Elliot Anderson ( Kevin Costner ) , a successful attorney whose world gets turned upside down after his married woman ( Jennifer Ehle ) is killed during a auto crash . Elliot begins drink heavily in fiat to stifle his grief , even as he attempt to fill the hollow leave by his lately - departed spouse and serve as the primary caregiver for their granddaughter , Eloise ( Jillian Estell ) . Meanwhile , Eloise ’s other grandmother Rowena Jeffers ( Octavia Spencer ) - a.k.a . " Grandma Wee Wee " - leans on Elliot to let her and her family play a larger use in Eloise ’s upbringing .
When Rowena ’s demands go largely ignored by Elliot , she turns to her lawyer brother Jeremiah ( Anthony Mackie ) to help her and Eloise ’s Father-God , Reggie ( André Holland ) , seek custody of Eloise so that they might raise her themselves . However , as the court struggle looms nearer , the members of Eloise ’s respective folk are forced to face some heavy truths about the past - and realize that the reply to the question of how best to bring up Eloise might not be as black or blanched as they would like to conceive .
inspire by real events , Black or Whiteis a movie written and directed by Mike Binder ( The Upside of Anger , Reign Over Me ) that hark back his previous directorial work in how it contend with larger social / political subject matter ( here , race / course - based tension ) through the crystalline lens of a more personal narrative ( about the grieving process ) that blend feel - good funniness with heavier melodrama . And similar to Binder ’s past film work , the final outcome here is a perfectly satisfactory , if somewhat mundane dramedy .
Binder ’s screenplay unfolds onscreen in something of an episodic fashion ; the first act is a ( grand)father - daughter story , before the 2d act plays out nigher to aGuess Who ’s Coming to Dinner - style comedy / drama , and the third human action cut into into court melodrama ( while the tension boil over at home base ) . Which is to say , Black or Whitehas a clean amount on its mind , but at last ends up delivering its messages in a heavy - handed fashion , to reach a ( mostly ) fulfill thematic conclusion . And in the end , the sixth sense it does offer are worthwhile , but fairly formal .
In ecumenical , the film is strong during the more intimate moments between characters , rather than when big liveliness - commute incident happen ( or when the important lesson are memorise ) . That ’s in no pocket-size part thanks to the confidential information performances by Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer , who ( coupled with Binder ’s script work ) help to impart more deepness and humanity to what might ’ve otherwise make out off as stock fictional character . Similarly , young Jillian Estell land a lot of realism to her performance as Eloise , make the character more than just a cute plot machine to labor the proceedings forward .
As a director , Binder ' lastingness is being able to draw strong performances from his shape , though he andReign Over Mecinematographer Russ T. Alsobrooks ( whose resume also admit such comedy movies asSuperbadas well as comedic TV seriesNew Girl ) occasionally make noteworthy usage of mise - en - scène staging and television camera shooter frame technique . As a general formula , though , Black or Whitetends to be pretty direct - forward in its ocular presentation and expert construction , so it does n’t needs require to be seen in a movie dramatic art .
Black or White ’s lead , as mentioned before , deliver potent performance , though the support cast proves to be evenly adequate to . Anthony Mackie ( Captain America : The Winter Soldier ) and Bill Burr ( Breaking Bad ) both make for empathic side player , as the fellowship member and friend who be , severally , Rowena and Elliot in their courtroom fight . Likewise , André Holland ( Selma ) is compelling as the struggling Reggie , whose own substance revilement issues juxtapose well with Elliot ’s intoxicant abuse .
Meanwhile , Paula Newsome ( Suburgatory ) is expert as a no - nosense judge who come into play in the story - though , Jennifer Ehle ( Zero Dark Thirty ) and Gillian Jacobs ( residential district ) stop up feel under - utilize given their modest roles ( as Elliot ’s at peace married woman and Burr ’s girlfriend , respectively ) , but do ok body of work regardless . Last , but not last , is Mpho Koaho ( Falling Skies ) as Duvan Araga , a extremely - accomplished tutor whom Elliot rent for Eloise - one whose oddity are charming ( despite being played for laughs a flake too often ) , but who also brings a utile outsider view to the general legal proceeding .
It ’s far from priming - breaking in its social statements , butBlack or Whiteis still a solid comedy / drama buoyed by good performance all around . The film is too middle of the road in its glide slope to amount to much more than standard palpate - sound dramedy about sensitive issues , but it has something meaningful to offer all the same . So , if you ’ve already caught up on the current awards time of year exit ( and are n’t in the mood for any other January releases ) , then this Costner / Spencer film could be what you ’re in the mood for .
Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner in ‘Black or White’
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Black or Whiteis now dally in U.S. theaters across the country . It is 121 instant retentive and is Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief unassailable language , thematic material involving drug use and drink , and for a fight .
Jillian Estell and Kevin Costner in ‘Black or White’
Octavia Spencer and Anthony Mackie in ‘Black or White’
André Holland and Kevin Costner in ‘Black or White’
