Costner is back.
Black or White
Grade: B-
Director: Mike Binder (Reign Over me)
Screenplay: Binder
Cast: Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves), Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 121 min.
by John DeSando
“She’s got the best of both worlds” (song over the credits)
Like the ambiguous title, that song encapsulates what is real and wrong about Mike Binder’s Black or White. On the one hand it’s about a wealthy lawyer, Elliot (Kevin Costner), trying to hang on to custody of his bi-racial six-year-old granddaughter, Eloise (Jillian Estell). On the other hand, it’s about the black relatives, including grandma (Olivia Spencer), trying to claim her for their own. That’s all real if not clichéd.
What’s wrong is the lack of emphasis on race because so much is left to be said, except for Elliot’s dynamic speech about race in the courtroom custody proceedings. OK, I will be inconsistent by saying the lack of debate about race adds to the art of the film in highlighting the real conflicts: custody and substance abuse. By defusing the anticipated race arguments, Binder gives a credible fuller treatment of how the court can handle an alcoholic grandfather (Elliott) and a junkie father, Jeremiah (Andrew Merkie).
(Kevin Costner is coming back in his career. Although I was disappointed he didn’t follow Dances with Wolves with greatness, it is good to see how natural he is in front of the camera these days.)
While kindly but stubborn black Grandma makes observations to the court, even with the possibility of jail time, it becomes clear that what Binder wishes to tackle is the web of arguments about who has the right to be the kid’s guardian. In some regards, the film is reminiscent of the many racial parts in Paul Haggis’ Crash.
It’s not an easy argument to settle.
“Mankind owes to the child the best it has to give.” Unknown Author
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts WCBE’s It’s Movie Time and co-hosts Cinema Classics. Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.rr.com
