There's a scene late in BLACK OR WHITE, the new film from actor-turned-writer-director Mike Binder that features one of the more genuinely honest and shocking monologues you'll likely see in a film this year, and it speaks far more to the current state of race relations in America than most will be willing to admit. The scene features Elliot Anderson (Kevin Costner, who did solid work in an early Binder film THE UPSIDE OF ANGER) on the witness stand in a custody battle for his granddaughter, Eloise (Jillian Estell), and he's admitting that he's a prejudiced man, and that the first thing he notices about a person of color is, in fact, their color. And along with that, he assigns certain stereotypes. It's probably not the wisest course of testimony in this particular hearing.
But then, Anderson continues, saying that most of us—black or white—do the exact same thing, and that it's not our first thoughts about a person that matter, but our second and third and fourth thoughts, as we get to know somebody. He claims that those who are racist are the ones that never make it past that initial reaction, and that most people—or at least most Americans—do make an effort to development additional impressions of those we meet so that we don't linger too long in a world of stereotypes.
I'll admit, hearing those words come out of Kevin Costner's mouth give them additional power, and if I were a more cynical person, I might reject his theory of the prejudicial mind flat out, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a hopeful, helpful message aimed directly at the heart of fearful white America. More than anything, the text of his speech will likely spark a few lively conversations among audience members long after BLACK OR WHITE is over, and that is a worthy goal of any film.
BLACK OR WHITEbegins with the death of Anderson's wife, Carol (Jennifer Ehle), leaving lawyer Elliot the sole caretaker of their granddaughter, who was left motherless when their daughter died in childbirth after being impregnated by a drug addicted Reggie (André Holland), who has been completely absent from Eloise's life as he attempted (and largely failed) to get his act together. Since his wife was more the parenting type, Elliot is left a little helpless and has to learn the routines of a little girl while he deals with his own demons, which include an alcohol problem that has become worse during his mourning.
Enter Eloise's paternal grandmother, Rowena (Octavia Spencer), who comes to Elliot with the sincere offer of raising Eloise in her home, where she already has an extended and loving family living under her mindful eye. But Elliot is hesitant to lose this last connection to his only child, and before long, the two are engaged in a nasty custody battle, spurred on by Rowena's attorney brother Jeremiah (Anthony Mackie), who decides to use the race card against Elliot, claiming that his general dislike of black people would be detrimental to Eloise's growth as a mixed-race child.
There are a couple of choice sequences in BLACK OR WHITE that, had this movie been made in the studio system, I don't believe would have survived the "notes" process, and not surprisingly they are among the film's finest moments, including the previously mentioned testimony scene. Two sequences in particular involve one side of this battle visiting the home of the other. When Costner visits Rowena's South Central home, rather than treat the moment as a fish-out-of-water cliche, Costner is greeted with open arms by everyone in the house, and it becomes clear that at some point in the recent past (probably thanks to his late wife), Elliot was a much-welcome visitor in these parts.
Another scene involves all of Rowena's charges going to Elliot's house for an impromptu pool party. The moment is played mostly for laughs, but again, the fact that these embattled people can still find it in themselves to mingle and talk openly is a good sign for however these events play out. I never doubted for a second how this custody issue was going to play out, but that's not really what BLACK OR WHITE is about. Even Costner's startling use of the N-word in one exchange with Reggie is excused (sort of) when brought up against him during the hearing—a point that seems a little too convenient, but to dwell on it would have made the movie intolerably long.
Between the various addictions, deaths, claims of racism, and general bad vibes during the hearing, BLACK OR WHITE feels unnecessarily weighed down at times in its own seriousness and self-importance. Costner's performance is delivered with a conviction that he's perfected over the years, and it serves his character well. Elliot is a deeply flawed man, and knows deep down inside that having Rowena be more of presence in his granddaughter's life would be a good thing. But he's scared of being utterly alone and, above all else, he loves Eloise deeply, even if he hasn't quite figured out how to comb her hair.
Mackie is also quite good as mini-Johnnie Cochran, who has no issues using less-than-honorable tactics to win. He's just as quick to fire down upon his own family if he thinks they're acting foolishly, and his attack on his nephew Reggie is exquisite. "You have no idea of the damage you do," he says to the man who is clean but still struggling with drugs and commitment issues.
BLACK OR WHITE has a lot of problems, and some of its views on race are seem naïve, even if they are good intentioned. But it makes the wise decision to paint no one as the hero or villain in this story. Neither Elliot nor Rowena are the perfect guardian (she's too eager to turn a blind eye to bad behavior in her family members), a fact that makes the film's eventual outcome all the more predictable, which again, isn't a bad thing. This is a clearly a case where the journey is more important than the destination.
The film may make you uncomfortable in spots, as it's meant to, and filmmaker Binder takes a lot of chances in his storytelling that many, far more mainstream directors wouldn't dream of. Perhaps most importantly, BLACK OR WHITE never forgets that it isn't about Elliot or Rowena's best interests; it's about Eloise's chance to keep close ties to both sides of her family. The film ends on a bittersweet note, but it leans toward the hopeful for all involved. Even in it's most misguided and preachy moments, the movie manages to open a few unexplored doors, and that's it's most important achievement as a film. It's certainly a far better interpretation of the true face of America than anything else in theater. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
