HollywoodSpotlightNow
Movie Reviews Just for You
  • What's New
    • Nomadland: Life on the Road
    • Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar
    • Our Friend : A Story of True Friendship
    • Heroes Real and "Marvel"-ous Conquer
    • Herself/I Carry You With Me
    • Recon: A Soldier's Story
    • What's New In November
    • Lots of Treats, One Big Trick. Ctober Streaming
    • Women in Powerful Roles Now Streaming
    • The Secret Garden Creates a Magical World for Young and Old(er)
    • The Cuban Moves to Its Own Beat
    • Age is Only A Number for "The Old Guard"
    • Hamilton Debuts On Disney+
    • Red, Blue and Irresistible
    • May 2020 New Movie Releases for Streaming and VOD
    • Trolls World Tour
    • StarWars:The Rise of Skywalker, BadBoysforLife, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tales from the Loop now on VOD
    • I Still Believe Christian-themed film available via VOD
    • Black Widow Theatrical Opening Postponed Due to Covid-19
    • Tom Hanks Movies Covid 19
    • Parasite Makes History at 2020 Academy Awards
    • Spike Lee breaks barriers, is first black selected to lead Cannes Film Festival Jury
  • First Look
    • Vegan : Trending in Hollywood
    • Ordinary Love: Opens on Valentine's Day 2020
    • Golden Globes go Vegan
    • A Quiet Place 2
    • Greta & Hansel: A Grim Fairy Tail
    • Top Gun: Maverick Trailer
    • In The Heights Trailer
    • Charlie's Angels Premiere
    • Rocket Man aims for awards season success
    • Charlie's Angels First Look
    • Frozen 2
  • IN THEATERS
    • The Way Back
    • Emma: It's a Charmed Life
    • Fantasy Island: Be Careful What You Wish For
    • Taking a Relationship to New Depths in "Downhill"
    • Blake Lively proves her versatility in "The Rhythm Section"
    • The Gentlemen: A Rapid Fire Crime Comedy
    • Bad Boys for Life
    • Women in Film: Oscar Best Screenplay Nominations
    • 1917: War is Hell
    • Just Mercy opens in wide release
    • Thoroughly Modern "Marmee"
    • Little Women is a Welcome Holiday Gift
    • Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
    • Bombshell
    • Frozen 2: It's Hot
    • A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood
    • The Good Liar: Relationships
    • The Good Liar: Romance is hot, but Revenge is served up cold
    • Ford v Ferrari is at the starting line for awards season
    • Terminator: Dark Fate
    • Harriet Tubman: Real American Superhero
    • Angelina Jolie Travels Between Light and Dark in "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"
    • Second Time is Twice as Nice for Elle Fanning
    • Blinded By The Light Shines
    • StarWars:The Rise of Skywalker, BadBoysforLife, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tales from the Loop now on VOD
    • Yesterday
    • Rocketman
  • Binge Worthy
    • Unbelievable
    • Constance Zimmer/"UnREAL"
    • JK Simmons Goes For the Win in "Break Point"
    • PaleyFest-"Better Call Saul"
  • Streaming/DVD
    • Women in Powerful Roles Now Streaming
    • May 2020 New Movie Releases for Streaming and VOD
    • BADLAND: COWBOYS, QUARANTINE AND AN HOMAGE TO CHILDHOOD HEROES
    • April 2020 DVD and Streaming Releases
    • Trolls World Tour
    • StarWars:The Rise of Skywalker, BadBoysforLife, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tales from the Loop now on VOD
    • Tom Hanks Movies Covid 19
    • The Irishman: New light on an old mystery
    • The Game Changers: Food for Thought
    • Maleficent: Angelina Jolie Loves Halloween
    • Will Smith is "Gemini Man"
    • Downton Abbey, It's Your Cup of Tea
    • Shaft
    • Late Night
    • Aladdin
    • Late Night
  • Spotlight Productions
    • Spotlight Productions >
      • Alesia Stanford
  • What's New
  • practice
  • McConaughey, Grant play against type in "The Gentlemen"

"Detroit" revisits a brutal summer of discontent

Picture
It's been a long hot summer and the movie, Detroit, is capping it off with a searing portrayal of police brutality in a city that was once thriving, but now striving to rise above the ashes. 

In telling this story, Director Kathryn Bigalow seeks to create some order from the chaos which inspired this film. Based on the Detroit riots which took place July 23-28, 1967, Bigelow, uses Mark Boal's script to set the scene for what would begin as a week of looting and fires and end in a night of torture and death at the hands of police officers. 

The movie focuses on a night at the Algiers motel, a seeming oasis from a night of violence on the street.  A curfew is in place, the National Guard has been called in and Detroit Police are patrolling the streets. For the young people, mostly teenagers, who are staying at the motel, their evening of fun by the pool and potential hook-ups, turns into a nightmare. One of the young men fires off a starter pistol. Police think it's a sniper. They, along with the National Guard, rush to the Algiers, and target the building with a barrage of high caliber bullets, blowing holes through the walls and floors and, eventually, the bodies of three young men. ​It's been a long hot summer and Detroit is capping it off with a searing portrayal of police brutality in a city that was once thriving, but now striving to rise above the ashes. 

Director Kathryn Bigalow seeks to create some order from the chaos which inspired this film. Based on the Detroit riots which took place July 23-28, 1967, Bigelow, uses Mark Boal's script to set the scene for what would begin as a week of looting and fires and end in a night of torture and death at the hands of police officers. 

The movie focuses on a night at the Algiers motel, a seeming oasis from a night of violence on the street.  A curfew is in place, the National Guard has been called in and Detroit Police are patrolling the streets. For the young people, mostly teenagers, who are staying at the motel, their evening of fun by the pool and potential hook-up, turns into a nightmare. One of the young men fires off a starter pistol. Police think it's a sniper. They rush to the Algiers, open fire blowing holes through the walls and floors and, eventually, the bodies of three young men. 


Among those taking refuge at the Algiers is an up and coming singer, Larry Reed, played by Algee Smith. His debut at the fabled Fox theater is cancelled after police enforce a curfew.  He and his friend end up at the Algiers looking for a place to chill and maybe hook-up. They meet a couple of white girls by by the pool, and its their presence among all the young, black men at the motel that seems to add more powder to an already explosive situation. Anthony Mackie, who worked with Bigelow in "The Hurt Locker" joins the cast as decorated Viet Nam vet looking for work. Having been under fire before, he tries to keep calm and keep the rogue officers from pulling the trigger. John Boyega ( Star Wars: The Force Awakens) is an armed security guard who tries, initially, to keep the peace, but ends up being a silent bystander to the brutality inflicted by a trio of officers lead by an off-the-rail beat cop, Philip Krauss, played by British actor Will Poulter.  

The events of this terrible night in Detroit, as presented by Bigelow, seem to ripped from today's headlines. Perhaps that's why as I exited the theater, I met a young African-American woman who was crying. She may never have been through something like that herself, but then again, she likely knows it could happen to her or someone she knows.