Black or White Movie Blurb by Shale February 1, 2015 The aggregate critics on Rotten Tomatoes only gave this movie a 36% fresh but three quarters of audiences liked it. That often happens when critics gotta critique and audiences just gotta enjoy. It was not exactly what I expected - actually it may have been more. It was not so much a portrayal of blacks against whites, tho that was touched upon, as a study of several flawed ppl of both races trying to just get along. The story starts with Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner) dealing with his wife's recent death and having to now care for their biracial granddaughter Eloise (Jillian Estell) alone. Eloise's mother had died in childbirth and her father Reggie Davis (Andre Holland) was an absent drug addict. So, the Andersons took over raising their granddaughter. Elliot now muddles thru the daily chores once done by his wife, while consuming more booze than usual. He is the worst kind of alcoholic, the kind that denies he has a drinking problem despite concerns voiced from his friends and co-workers. He is a financially successful lawyer and soon hires a tutor Duvan Araga (Mpho Koaho) for Eloise after finding out he cannot handle helping her with third grade math. Duvan also serves as his driver since he is often dangerously incapable of driving. Poppa Stumped by Eloise's Homework To complicate things more, Eloise's other grandmother, Rowena (Octavia Spencer) thinks that Eloise would do better staying with her black family. Opposing Grandparents This does not go well with Elliott who has raised Eloise for the 8 years of her life, which causes a very pushy Rowena to get her lawyer brother, Jeremiah Jeffers (Anthony Mackie) to sue for custody. Also showing up is the absent, crackhead father who bolsters his mother's case. Rowena & Jeremiah The movie plays out in Judge Cummins (Paula Newsome) court, where all the animosity and racial accusations are aired. From my personal experience as a white man who has a black extended family, I could relate to some of the attitudes in this movie. One being that interracial families exist and no matter how much animosity Costner's character had against Eloise's biological father he had to tolerate the man for the sake of his granddaughter. This is not a black or white issue, it is a family issue - until of course lawyers start playing the race cards in court. I have black family members that I really like and there are those that I do not care so much for. Doesn't make me a racist (I have white family members I don't care so much for either). "I don't dislike you because you are black - I dislike you because you are you." The other issue in this movie is the drug addict versus the alcoholic. When you have gotten righteously wasted on drugs and booze like I have been, you realize that one is no worse than the other, except for a point of law that makes one legal and the other illegal. This movie really followed Elliot's alcoholism juxtaposed with Reggie's crack use. A real Pot & Kettle thing played out on screen. I'm with the 74% who liked this movie.
Later this month he will be in McFarland USA, where he coaches Mexican-American high school kids in cross-country racing. Saw the trailers before this movie. I really like Costner in most movies.
