Spike Lee creates such a vibrant and loving world with richly drawn characters. So much of the framing throughout the film is brilliant, and many of the sets are superb. (I really loved the big red painted brick wall with the three lads and the umbrella.)
I do, however, have two very minor gripes. First, I really think Spike should have cast someone else in the lead role, as his acting makes him stand out like a sore thumb at times. In parts, the cadence of how he delivers his lines sounds like he’s reading from a script; it very rarely feels truly conversational. Additionally, he lacks a charisma that I think the character requires to be the centrepiece of this extremely charismatic world he has built as a director. Each character is larger than life and all seem to love Mookie in a way that I think the performance lets down. Through his actions, as the viewer we can see why he is liked, but it’s hard to believe at times, as Spike’s performance can feel a bit flat.
One final gripe I had was that some of the side characters felt slightly overly theatrical in their deliveries. Buggin’ Out is an example of this done at its best. Obviously, he has a big personality and the performance is very physical and theatrical, but with Giancarlo Esposito at the wheel it was a joy to watch. Some of the other characters, however, felt out of place at times. Characters like Ella or Tina occasionally took me out of the film slightly, though this is a minor complaint.
Otherwise, this was an excellent film that looks amazing, has a killer soundtrack, incredible energy, and an ending that deserves all the acclaim it has garnered. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Logged on Letterboxd