Mr. Movie review: ‘BlacKkKlansman’ an outrageously true story

In 1979, an African American cop infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan.

It happened.

Horror in a real sort of way. Funny, but not.

Detective Ron Stallworth — who was Colorado Springs, Colorado’s first black cop — saw an ad in a local newspaper. The Klan was recruiting. He called, left a message and was called back.

That led to an investigation into the group’s dastardly doings. In interviews Stallworth has said it’s not “normal” for African Americans to join the KKK. The first thought that pops into my mind after that statement is, “no kidding.”

You likely will have the same reaction.

Instead of backing off because of the complications of such contact, Stallworth persevered. He said it was his job to check into “subversive activity.” You don’t get more subversive than the Klan.

A little over seven months later, Stallworth is a card-carrying member and has been elected as the Colorado Springs’ chapter president. That’s when his supervisors ordered the investigation shut down and hushed up.

No way can a cop head a KKK chapter.

How a black man accomplished the task – and actually talked on the phone with and then met KKK head David Duke – is a fascinating story. He wrote a book about his experiences, and Spike Lee has turned it into an equally engrossing movie.

Of course, since Stallworth is black he couldn’t be himself when attending a KKK meeting. So a white cop played Stallworth when face-to-racist face. Stallworth was himself on the phone, and there were lots of phone conversations.

That’s the background. Lee pumps up the plot, adds some comedy, a bit of drama, some romance, and generally takes the liberties that Hollywood tends to take with “true” stories.

John David Washington (Denzel’s son) complete with a 1970s Afro does Stallworth. Adam Driver (Kylo Ren in the new Star Wars series) is his — another dig at the Klan — Jewish partner Flip Zimmerman. Topher Grace (“Spider-Man 3,” “That ’70s Show”) gets the nod as David Duke.

All three — and their co-stars — have a blast with this material. The premise, of course, is outrageous. To properly pull it off requires having some fun with the script. Lines are often delivered in a low-key, call-and-response style that helps sell the story.

It also adds to the laughs.

At the center of the film is Washington who — like his famous dad — is quite skilled at comedy. He’s supported brilliantly by Driver. Ignore his so-so Star Wars work. Driver specializes in offbeat characters, is very good doing them, and is in his element in this one.

Equally funny is the fact that the Klan could be so easily fooled. It is a deserved slap in the face to the stereotyping they do to all those who aren’t white. Lee never misses a chance to subtly or quite blatantly point that out.

This is a great film and one of my favorites this year. So please don’t take this wrong. It’s flaw — and typical of a Lee movie — is his inability to resist beating a dead horse. His filmmaking often reminds me of the person who can’t stop elbowing you and saying, “Get it, huh? Get it?” after telling a joke.

Yes, this is a political story and, yes, racism is as problematic in the U.S. today as it was in 1979. Yes, a lot of people think it’s increased even more in the era of Donald Trump. We see it every day in the news. Hammering it home at the end of the movie isn’t necessary.

So yes, Spike, we get it, and we got it without the news reel at the film’s climax.

This story was originally published August 9, 2018 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie review: ‘BlacKkKlansman’ an outrageously true story."