Change is worth fighting for|Apr. 05, 2019|United States|133 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Crime;Drama;History;Mystery;Reality
Description: In 1971, Durham, North Carolina, Ann Atwater advocates for improved housing conditions for impoverished Black communities, but her efforts are dismissed by an all-white judicial panel. Meanwhile, C.P. Ellis, a proud leader of the KKK, prioritizes his family while harboring deep-seated racial prejudices. When Ann’s daughters’ school is destroyed by a fire (whether accidental or deliberate remains unclear), C.P. fears the integration of Black students into white schools. The city council deems the school still functional, prompting the NAACP to initiate a lawsuit. A judicial ruling mandates the involvement of Bill Riddick, a seasoned mediator, to facilitate discussions between Ann and C.P.
Initially, both Ann and C.P. resist collaboration due to their mutual animosity, but they eventually agree to participate. C.P.’s racist convictions lead him to refuse sitting alongside Bill and Ann, asserting his discomfort as a white man among Black individuals. Bill explains that the charrettes aim to develop solutions for pressing issues, focusing on school segregation and broader educational challenges in Durham. Participants are randomly selected to vote on proposed solutions, but C.P.’s attempts to influence voters are largely unsuccessful. A Black reverend proposes playing gospel music at the end of each session, which C.P. vehemently opposes, demanding the display of KKK paraphernalia in return. Ann objects, but Bill compromises.
During one session, a group of Black teenagers attempts to destroy the KKK items, but Ann intervenes, urging them to understand the KKK’s ideology. C.P. observes this from a distance. Later, Bill arranges for Black and white participants to sit together in the cafeteria, fostering uneasy interactions. When Ann and C.P. are seated alone, tension fills the air. Ann breaks the silence by asking if C.P. has a son at Murdock, a facility for children with disabilities. C.P. reacts defensively, refusing to discuss his son, who has Down Syndrome.
Cast director: Robin Bissell
Cast actor: Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell, Babou Ceesay, Anne Heche, Wes Bentley, Nick Searcy, Bruce McGill, John Gallagher Jr., Nicholas Logan, Gilbert Glenn Brown
Original name: The Best of Enemies