Bradley's Website

“All money ain’t good money.” — David King (Denzel Washington)

Note: The following review is spoiler free.

There is no way I was going to write an objective review of this film— I have an enormous soft spot for Spike Lee, immense admiration for Denzel Washington, and a majority of the film takes place on the few blocks that I traverse on the daily. I mean, hip hop was so formative for me as a youth that just getting two new songs from A$AP Rocky was enough to get me hyped.

This is by no means a perfect film, and noone will suggest that it is Spike’s best. But, I could hardly care less about comparisons. The awkward editing in the first half and less than ideal acting from supporting cast is completely swallowed up by the amount of heart that Lee and the leading actors pack into a handful of key scenes. There are moments in this movie that are so refreshingly sincere that it might just peel off a layer or two of the jadedness that we all develop in this ironic, detached cultural climate. Because, like always, Spike is generous with his platform and is a consummate example of what uncompromising advocacy looks like in artistic expression. Looking through his lens makes you feel the love he has for people; specifically the people in the black community; and specifically, especially the black community in New York. Even if you are not plugged into that kind of culture, there is something contagious about his attitude that makes you want to hug a neighbor.

I am sure that some critics will try to degrade the film by pointing out how Spike is making a disclosive statement about the OG’s of the arts and accusing the industry of having lost its soul. This is certainly what Spike is doing, but I don’t see how it’s a knock against the film. I like what Spike is saying and I applaud him for always championing his values: people matter more than profit, art more than fame, and culture more than content. Some things don’t need to be deep in order to just be said— and Spike says it with more style than I could conjure up in a lifetime.

Conclusion: I’m walking out of the theatre feeling a little more encouraged, a little more willing to be sincere, and a little bit more in love with New York City. That’s good money, in my opinion.

You can subscribe to a weekly digest of these posts and other good shareables here.