Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater, an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis, a local Ku Klux Klan leader who reluctantly co-chaired a community summit, battling over the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the racially-charged summer of 1971. The incredible events that unfolded would change Durham and the lives of Atwater and Ellis forever.
The Best of Enemies is a competently told true story about an unlikely cross-racial friendship in 1971 Durham, NC. Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell both deliver strong, committed performances that elevate the material considerably — Rockwell's transformation arc is particularly nuanced. However, the film follows a fairly predictable redemption narrative structure well-worn in this genre (cf. The Help, Green Book), which keeps Novelty and Plot from standing out. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, leaning on period-piece aesthetics without distinctive visual ambition. The ending is emotionally satisfying given the real-life resolution but feels somewhat rushed and telegraphed. A solid, well-acted drama that plays it safe structurally.