Review of Clockers (1995) by Spangle — 30 Jul 2014
Overall, Clockers is quite the disappointing film. The acting from Mekhi Phifer, John Turturro, and Harvey Keitel is good, as well as some good supporting players here make this a very good look at life in the projects, murder, and drugs.
The message about black-on-black violence is also very poignant and hard hitting. However, Spike Lee just cannot help himself and his racism here, as every single non-black character is the most racist pig ever to hit the planet Earth.
I get it, cops in the projects are racist, but he hits us over the sledgehammer with it repeatedly as if we are some kind of idiot who does not get it. On top of that, many elements of the plot do not stick together very well and there are some plotholes for sure, as well as some things that are added in for really no reason, and things that are just very much unlikely to ever happen in real life.
Minus the forced commentary on racism, some iffy plot elements, and Spike Lee's direction of those elements, Clockers is an interesting drama that could have been so much more with a different director.
This review of Clockers (1995) was written by Spangle on 30 Jul 2014.
Clockers has generally received positive reviews.
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