The Best of Enemies

The Best of Enemies

Starring Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell, Babou Ceesay, Anne Heche

Directed by Robin Bissell

The Story:
In Durham, North Carolina in 1971, activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) is trying to make life better for her daughter, and when her school catches fire and half of it is unusable, wants to integrate the African American students to the all-white high school, to the obvious dismay of KKK leader C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell).

The town sits at a standstill until arbitrator Bill Riddick (Babou Ceesay) comes to town and organizes a charrette (an intense period of planning and decision making), and forms a council whose decision will decide the fate of segregation in the school.  Ann and C.P. are chosen by Bill as co-chairs, and at first neither wants anything to do with it due to their intense hatred for one another, but puts their differences aside to come to a conclusion.  As the weeks move on, C.P. learns more about life through Ann and those he once deemed inferior, and questions his own values and morals as the final vote approaches.

The Synopsis:
There are some amazing true-life stories that demand they be seen on the big screen, and one of them was "Hidden Figures," a film about three African American women (notably Katherine Johnson) who were vital for sending the first man to the moon and beating the Russians in a time of high segregation.  "The Best of Enemies" - by virtue alone - is also a story that needed its time on the big screen: a story about an African American activist and the local leader of the KKK not just finding common ground, but becoming lifelong friends, is something to behold, especially in the racially divisive world we currently live in today.  While it could've been something epic and profound, it turns out to be the opposite: a tonally inept film that almost disregards one side entirely in favor of telling a white savior story.

The relationship between Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis is something that no Hollywood writer could come up with, a story so strange it had to be true.  You could never find more polar opposites than these two, but during a two-week stint where they were tasked to come to a decision on school segregation, they somehow managed to see things in the same light and change their previously frosty ways.  Again, this sounds like the feel-good, Oscar-bait film of the year, but "The Best of Enemies" almost completely disregards Ann Atwater's story in favor of C.P. Ellis's transformation, and with a film that's over two hours long, could've had ample time to tell both.

Taraji P. Henson is one of today's most talented actresses (who also starred as Katherine Johnson in "Hidden Figures"), and I was more than thrilled to find her starring as Ann Atwater here, but she's relegated to second fiddle (even though she gets top billing) as she portrays the stereotypical "angry black woman" who's constantly scowling, yelling at someone, and otherwise exhibiting a cold demeanor.  Henson is always the professional, and she gives her all in these highly tense, emotional moments, and I only wish she had more time to fully elaborate on her character.  There's only one scene where she's really open to act like more than just a one-dimensional caricature, but her story is so much more rich than what was portrayed.  If you want to find out the real Ann Atwater, check out a few YouTube documentaries that tell the story much more fully than this.

Sam Rockwell has just come off a career high with his first Oscar award for playing a racist cop in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," so it wasn't a big stretch to find him playing KKK leader C.P. Ellis here.  Rockwell does phenomenally with the script he was given, and gives Ellis a full, well-rounded story that witnesses his transformation from a man who wouldn't even shake a black man's hand to siding with them for segregation (that's not a spoiler, it's history, it's something that obviously happened), but the film was almost entirely focused on him and not enough on Atwater, so of course Rockwell would be given the meatier things to work with.

For a film that's over two hours, there's a lot of downtime and moments that nothing really happens when it could've been focused on Ann's side of the story, but instead there's several montages, scenes between Ellis and his son (who has Down Syndrome, and also involves one tender moment with Ann), and local Klan activities that overshadow the overlaying theme.  The film could've been something you stood and cheered for, but instead you find yourself giving a measured golf clap at the end, moreso grateful that it's over than cheering for the winning side.

The Summary:
"The Best of Enemies" fails to really deliver the story of the unlikely friendship of Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis, and instead focuses on Ellis and how he saved the day at the end, so if you want to find out the real story between these two, check out a YouTube documentary.

The Score: C