The Best of Enemies is a civil rights tale told with obvious opposing battle lines. The time is 1971 and the setting is Durham, N.C. and the story is true.
With the Ku Klux Clan in one corner, and the local civil rights activists in the other, the town fight is over school integration and it’s obvious from the get-go who wants what and where the story is headed. Ok stay with me here, although the storyline feels predictable, the performances and the characters are interesting.
Taraji P. Henson turns in an amazing performance as Ann Atwater, a single mom and local community activist who doesn’t hesitate to tell folks what’s on her mind. While the talented Sam Rockwell portrays C.P. Ellis, the Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan. The duo are forced to co-chair a committee to desegregate Durham schools following a court order. Perhaps our present-day leaders will catch wind of this concept—ya know–sitting down to settle differences and understand one another…but I digress….
Rockwell is always intriguing. He’s a virtual chameleon in his various roles. (Last season he played George W. Bush in Vice.) Although he plays the good ole boy with ease, he has this lost look in his eyes. (Paul Giamatti was originally tapped for Rockwell’s role, but lucky for us, unavailable.) Henson chews the scenery. She embodies several emotions at once and you’re never quite sure just which she’ll tap next. All in all, I couldn’t take my eyes off of either of them, and they definitely elevated the script.
Speaking of the script, first-time writer/director Robin Bissell helmed the story, (Bissell is a seasoned producer.) The Best of Enemies was shot in Georgia in 29 days and production did a great job capturing the mood and look of the early seventies in a small town–great art direction Mark Garner.
The film also stars Wes Bentley as another good ole boy, Babou Ceesay as the mediator and Anne Heche as Rockwell’s devoted wife. Sadly, Heche’s talents are wasted, she’s doesn’t have much to do in this film other than smoke cigarettes and adjust her apron.
As the film unfolded, I kept wondering about the real people and why there wasn’t a documentary about them. My wonder stopped when the credits revealed clips from An Unlikely Friendship, a doc made about Atwater and Ellis in the early 2000s. Sadly, both are no longer with us. I’m curious to find that documentary and see it.
Although I wasn’t surprised by the journey this story takes, I have to say I was moved by the outcome. In fact, the footage used from the documentary reveals more, so stay for the credits.
It’s not a great film, but it deserves a watch. If you want to be inspired and uplifted in our current state of divisive contempt for each other it’s a must see. If you simply keep deleting your FB friends for their opposing belief system, stay home and bury yourself online.
Best of Enemies opens in theaters April 5th.