From the extensive files of “THIS ISN’T HELPING” comes today’s Cops v. Citizens saga Black and Blue. This film carefully studied the ways African Americans and police interact and came to the conclusion that black folks are probably better off never paying attention to a single thing a cop says or does. While this conclusion might have been tolerable from a satiric or hyperbolic POV, Black and Blue is neither, instead viewing our perspective from rookie cop and Venn diagram intersection Alicia West (Naomie Harris). By the end of the film, the lone conclusion for why Officer West isn’t corrupt herself is by virtue of her limited stay on the force; give it time, girl, you’ll be a villain for Black and Blue II: I’m Black, This Blows.
Modern day New Orleans is the backdrop for this l’il ‘ol slice of cynicism. From the outset, the film has all the subtlety of a Trump tweet: Alicia is out for a jog when two fellow officers stop and unapologetically manhandle her, letting her go when they realize she’s a fellow officer; what if she didn’t have her wallet on her? I never run with anything but keys. Regardless of dynamics, the tone and message have been set early on: All veteran cops are bad (and probably racist).
Contrary to the opening, Alicia’s partner seems ok, I guess, but when he claims “date night” to avoid pulling a double shift, Officer West steps in to fill the gap. And wouldn’t you just know it? This is the very day that three of the (many) corrupt cops decide to “get rid of some evidence.” I dunno how it works in your jurisdiction, but “stay in the car” doesn’t fly for my local police when shots are involved. Naturally, Officer West investigates and her body cam captures undercover officers executing drug dealers.
Upon discovering he’s live on “Candid Camera,” one narc’s first instinct is to shoot Officer West dead. In a way, this is a relief; it means that evidence still means something to certain people. I’m getting so used to the gaslighting routine (“That wasn’t ‘quid-pro-quo,’ that’s just the way he talks…” etc.) that it’s almost refreshing when people believe tangible evidence of wrongdoing still matters.
Saved by her vest, Officer West is suddenly on the run and has to find refuge among either an officer she can trust, or the community universally hostile to anyone wearing a police uniform. While I wasn’t wild about the setup or the black-and-white narrative of Black and Blue, I did actually get into this part where we see Officer West –an otherwise badass war veteran—as extremely vulnerable and in need of a haven with hostility from every corner; at this point, the film became not unlike Purge V: Die Mutherf****r Die!
This is not a good film and nobody should confuse it with one; it also seems to exploit and further pull the divide between police and black community. That divide doesn’t need any help, people. If you’re not going to shine a true light on injustice, you’re not helping the conversation any. Were the film dull as dirt, it would rank among the worst of the year.
A rookie gets in a big stew
When she witnesses events askew
The polarizing story
Makes poor allegory
Forget the Black, this one just Blue
Rated R, 108 Minutes
Director: Deon Taylor
Writer: Peter A. Dowling
Genre: Making a bad conversation worse
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Cop haters, I imagine. Hard to say as the heroine IS a cop although the rest are all presented as tools of corruption
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Cops
