It’s a crime that most people are blind to the existence of Blindspotting, a funny and searing satire of race, class and most importantly hipsters.
Blindspotting had the misfortune of hitting theaters in between two other racially charged quasi-comedies (Blackkklansman and Sorry to Bother You), yet unlike those two that attracted significant attention, this one, from director Carlos López Estrada, is consistently excellent from start to finish.
Daveed Diggs is excellent as an ex-con (arrested for a bar fight in which he accidentally lit a Portlandian hipster on fire) who, while on parole, witnesses a white cop shooting a black man in the back but opts not to say anything for fear of going back to prison. Diggs plays the role with heart, humor and angst, the raw emotion that ripples throughout the film relayed through his every glance and expression, culminating in a powerful outburst in the story’s final minutes.
Diggs’ character spends much of the movie managing his best friend, a white, Oakland native who can’t handle the growing virus of gentrification, let alone the fact that his grill is a bit behind the times. Rafael Casal, who co-wrote the movie with Diggs, is absolutely spectacular as he chomps, chews and rips apart every scene he’s in with a visceral performance that is equally sad and hilarious.
Blindspotting pulses with energy you rarely see in film these days; the passion is displayed not only on screen but felt in every second of the production. Its blend of humor and seriousness is a cocktail of perfection; the film transitions between the various genres it touches upon effortlessly, exuding an earnestness and honesty that are impossible to ignore.
Its blatant disdain for hipsters sells a message we should all listen to and embrace as well.
Blindspotting works on many levels, whether it be a striking, powerful exploration of race and class or merely an exercise in entertaining storytelling. Funny, immersive and real, Blindspotting is one of the best movies of the year.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.