With a story that talks about racist battles and wars on a societal level, we get nuanced characters who are warring internally. Phillip is realising the significance of his Jewish roots. Ron is debating (briefly, but yes) fighting from within an already biased system. Even a secondary character in Connie talks about how a (racist) “dream” is becoming too real.

Spike Lee’s political thriller functions on such real conflicts and also makes sure the politics is clean of bias (I feel if doesn’t even have to be unbiased, because it is dealing with white supremacist buffoons). The one hug that Ron and his Sergeant share, is an immensely relieving and positive scene, for how it delivers a powerful mass moment in the midst of a very bitter ending. Putting the substance aside, this is an engaging film for style alone. We get prominent replay-cuts, subtle yet trippy transitions, and an irresistibly cool background score. Ron Stallworth even ends up looking like a hero from a Spaghetti Western, with his confident demeanor and the slow-but-rousing theme track. This is one cool yet impactful political film, and I wonder how many other films have even attempted such a weird concoction.