A well-meaning crowd-pleaser, with nice performances and a truly exceptional true story running things, that never chooses to rise above its safely formulaic Hollywood trappings.
I found this movie's depictions of such clearly bigoted white people and their Civil Rights era forms of racism (colored bathrooms and coffee pots) that never really digs into the more insidious nature of institutional racism, to be problematic. This overtly racist world feels so far removed that it almost makes it seem like racism has been solved, that it's no longer an issue.
All you have to do is be exceptional, a once in a lifetime genius, and racism won't be able to stand in your way. It suggests that black people do have to work harder and be superior in an obvious way in order to overcome, and this is never addressed in the movie. Don't be common, no one can help you then.
I found this movie's depictions of such clearly bigoted white people and their Civil Rights era forms of racism (colored bathrooms and coffee pots) that never really digs into the more insidious nature of institutional racism, to be problematic. This overtly racist world feels so far removed that it almost makes it seem like racism has been solved, that it's no longer an issue.
All you have to do is be exceptional, a once in a lifetime genius, and racism won't be able to stand in your way. It suggests that black people do have to work harder and be superior in an obvious way in order to overcome, and this is never addressed in the movie. Don't be common, no one can help you then.