The Best of Enemies

My wife and I watched this movie at home on BluRay from our public library. The disc has some interesting "extras" including taped interviews of each of the two main characters in their later years.

This story is factual, about real people. It was an important chapter in the long road towards eliminating discrimination based on skin color, a journey far from being completed. It was 1971 in Durham, N.C. and even though laws had already been implemented to eliminate desegregation in schools the city officials and the KKK had thus far prevented it. When a fire at the all-black middle school caused a big problem the issue came to a head.

The two main characters, two people who initially despised each other, are Taraji P. Henson as black activist Ann Atwater and Sam Rockwell as local businessman and KKK leader C.P. Ellis. An interesting outfall of the events in 1971 was their becoming good friends for the rest of their lives.

The movie is uncomfortable most of the time, as it should be. This was a very serious time, but in the end it shows that hatred and prejudice is a result of fear and lack of understanding, usually on all sides.

A very well made and well acted story.

The Best of Enemies is a movie, that on the surface, is about the integration of mixed cultures in school, but in reality is much more about people and change.

The film, cleverly in my opinion, stays away from cliched, cartoonish characters, choosing instead to have a more nuanced approach for its characters. It makes them people, with needs, concerns, beliefs and so on.

The result is an enjoyable film showing that with great courage, great things can be accomplished.

Any movie where you can be entertained and educated at the same time is always off to a good start in my opinion, recommended viewing :)

Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell were tremendous in this film. Sammy has always been a true actor and steals the scenes.

The incredible skill and range of Henson and Rockwell (long one of my favorite actors) is on display here in a story that needed to be told on the world stage (although the book had been out for some twenty years). I'm no SJW, but I'm glad we are getting more of these movies with real life examples of people coming together, especially when their backgrounds and motivations are so well explained. If it helps even a single extremist to change their ways, it was well worth it. For the rest of us it is an apt reminder of how things were not long ago, how much work still remains to be done, and how it CAN be done. Bravo.

This film tells the story of two opposing parties in the racially segregated society decades ago.

The story is captivating and beautifully told. It tells a process of increasing mutual understanding, thereby reaching a groundbreaking consensus. It is a thought provoking and truly inspiring tale. I am deeply moved by it.