It’s not often that films can teeter on that fine line between comedy and drama perfectly. It’s a difficult balance, gaining the audiences' trust through humor and wit only to shift so swiftly to say something profound about life and the experiences of being human. Hamilton alum Daveed Diggs and his writing partner Rafael Casal manage to do this flawlessly, hitting the audience squarely in the gut with the intense and moving Blindspotting.
Helmed by the electrifying Carlos López Estrada in his feature film debut, Diggs and Casal star as an unlikely duo, best friends Collin and Miles respectively, who work together at a budget moving company and get into hilarious and dangerous shenanigans during their off time. Set in Oakland, California, the film’s whimsical open showcases the eccentric nuances of the city and the Bay Area where the men have lived their entire lives. And yet, the first few minutes of Blindspotting don’t even begin to prepare the audience for the film’s extraordinary commentary on race, police brutality, and manhood.
Collin played thoughtfully by Diggs is a seemingly mild-mannered ex-con with just three days left on his parole sentence. Desperate to get through his last few days unscathed, Collin tries to avoid trouble at all cost, only to be confronted with it at every turn. Miles, in contrast, is a hardened white boy with the gift of gab and a chip on his shoulder. Oakland born and bred, the grill-wearing hothead finds himself in a polarizing position as other white people, hipsters with their press juices and vegan “burgers,” begin moving in on his territory.
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