Review of Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) by Allen G — 23 Mar 2013

A masterful documentary which, when documenting the rise, has you smiling, laughing, nodding in disbelief and generally feeling every bit as happy as Johnson did as he beat the heck out of anyone who stood in his way. And when documenting the fall has you frowning, sighing, nodding in disbelief and generally feeling pretty sucky to hear that he was beating the crap out of those close to him and getting beat up by the system around him (and by that really tall guy).

It's beautifully crafted and made with a real passion (and I don't just throw that word around) for Johnson's story and his life. It's certainly long (nearly four hours) but the story is always interesting and this documentary makes it great to watch and learn too. It's a fascinating journey with as many ups and downs as you could ask for. I recommended it to all who have time to spend.