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The Best of Enemies

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49
Metascore
 25 reviews
6.5
User Score
 33 ratings

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Director: Robin Bissell
Writer: Osha Gray Davidson Robin Bissell
Production: Material Pictures
Movie Details: Based on a true story, The Best of Enemies centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater
Based on a true story, The Best of Enemies centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson), an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell ), a local Ku Klux Klan leader who reluctantly co-chaired a community summit, battling over the desegregation of schools in Durham, North Carolina during the racially-charged summer of 1971. The incredible events that unfolded would change Durham and the lives of Atwater and Ellis forever.
Genre(s): Biography Drama History
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Production: Material Pictures
Runtime: 133 min
Home Release Date: Jul 2, 2019
Country: US
Language: English
Director: Robin Bissell
Writer: Osha Gray Davidson Robin Bissell
Starring:
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  • The Best Of Enemies

    The Best Of Enemies

  • The Best Of Enemies: Taraji P. Henson On Ann Atwater (Featurette)

    The Best Of Enemies: Taraji P. ...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Powerhouse (Spot)

    The Best Of Enemies: Powerhouse...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Make A Connection (Featurette)

    The Best Of Enemies: Make A Con...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Lift Every Voice (TV Spot)

    The Best Of Enemies: Lift Every...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Women's Day (Featurette)

    The Best Of Enemies: Women's Da...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Start Talking (TV Spot)

    The Best Of Enemies: Start Talk...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Sam Rockwell On His Character C.P. Ellis

    The Best Of Enemies: Sam Rockwe...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Robin Bissell On Research He Did For The Film

    The Best Of Enemies: Robin Biss...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Bill Riddick On The Story Being Told In Film To A Wider Audience

    The Best Of Enemies: Bill Riddi...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Mother (TV Spot)

    The Best Of Enemies: Mother (TV...

  • The Best Of Enemies: Sam Rockwell & Taraji P. Henson On If They Knew Each Other Before The Film

    The Best Of Enemies: Sam Rockwe...

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Critic Reviews
(25)
49
Metascore Mixed or average reviews
11 Positive Ratings 44%
9 Mixed Ratings 36%
5 Negative Ratings 20%
Based on 25 Critic Reviews View All
88
Movie Nation
Roger Moore | Apr 4, 2019
"Bissell has made a film where the casting isn’t the only thing that’s “on-the-nose.” The message, where the film’s sympathies lie and its emphasis on the character with the bigger journey to make could earn it some “Green Book” styled blowback." ... Read full review
75
San Francisco Chronicle
Mick LaSalle | Apr 4, 2019
"The movie also benefits from the presence of Anne Heche as Ellis’ wife. Heche doesn’t say much, but she conveys a lot." ... Read full review
67
IndieWire
David Ehrlich | Apr 4, 2019
"Robin Bissell’s The Best of Enemies may not be some kind of game-changing corrective to all the retrograde films about race in America (we’re talking about an uplifting historical biopic directed by the executive producer of “Seabiscuit”), but this sturdy drama has the good sense to recognize that allyship is only valuable when it’s hard. When it’s a sacrifice. When it forces white people to put some of their own skin in the game." ... Read full review
50
The A.V. Club
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky | Apr 4, 2019
"Bissell’s fudging of the facts (which includes completely making up the reasons behind the charrette) doesn’t create a story that’s more insightful or dramatically cohesive than the real thing; the only thing it reveals, if indirectly, is liberalism’s longstanding discomfort with the relationship between civil rights and labor movements." ... Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Barry Hertz | Apr 12, 2019
"Luckily, Henson finds just enough in this thin movie to chew on, and every moment that the actress is on screen feels like we’re glimpsing the promise of a better, different movie to come. " ... Read full review
42
The Playlist
Cory Woodruff | Apr 8, 2019
"The Best of Enemies has good intentions, and some potent things to say, but its novice direction and limited perspective fail it from becoming anything other than this season’s Green Book." ... Read full review
12
RogerEbert.com
Odie Henderson | Apr 5, 2019
"This movie isn’t just tone-deaf, it’s ass backwards." ... Read full review
Critic Reviews
User Reviews
(10)
6.5
User Score Generally favorable reviews
19 Positive Ratings 57%
10 Mixed Ratings 30%
4 Negative Ratings 12%
Based on 33 Ratings and 10 Reviews View All
10
Scoutyranks
Jun 25, 2019
The best movie I have ever seen. Love,kindness and persistence can solve any problem if a ku klux klan member can suddenly start to loveThe best movie I have ever seen. Love,kindness and persistence can solve any problem if a ku klux klan member can suddenly start to love black people then so can black people learn to love black people. Youths if today, stop killing each other and love each other. We have been through so much and it pains me so much everytime I hear another black man or woman has been stabbed or killed.
Please wake up black people and learn to love again.… Expand
10
haji81872
May 26, 2020
Loved this movie. Critics are stupid and try to appear to smart with movies about race. It is a great story wonderfully portrayed. Is itLoved this movie. Critics are stupid and try to appear to smart with movies about race. It is a great story wonderfully portrayed. Is it historical accurate. No, so are many other movies and that is often ignored. Because this is about race it has to be perfectly accurate? That would have been boringand that is not the point of making a movie. It doesnt focus on the black characters? Well they aren't the ones who had to.do the emtional soul searching and go on a journey of difficulty most of us would not dare traverse.… Expand
10
ZacW
Jan 4, 2022
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. FInally, a movie that makes you laugh, cry and feel inspired. Outstanding cinema. More of this please!!!!… Expand
6
TVJerry
Apr 10, 2019
Durham, NC, 1971: The overt racism that permeates the town comes to a vote, literally, when a charette is established to determine whether toDurham, NC, 1971: The overt racism that permeates the town comes to a vote, literally, when a charette is established to determine whether to integrate the schools. On one side: the spunky activist (Taraji P. Henson at her frumpiest). On the other: the leader of the local KKK chapter (Sam Rockwell in redneck mode). The series of events unfolds with a genteel style that does little to stoke the flames of outrage. Sure, there are plenty of racist moments, but the uninspired direction, lackadaisical performances and extended length keep this true story of an unlikely friendship from being more than an interesting history lesson.… Expand
5
Mauro_Lanari
Aug 10, 2019
(Mauro Lanari)
The story is true and should be interesting, yet it does not thrill by ending up in a now saturated vein.
5
JLuis_001
May 16, 2020
Typical true story drama that has good intentions but deals with an ordinary and common execution.
5
GreatMartin
Apr 5, 2019
Last year we had the best picture Oscar winner "Green Book" which was a 'feel good' movie about the relationship between a white man and aLast year we had the best picture Oscar winner "Green Book" which was a 'feel good' movie about the relationship between a white man and a black man while we also had the intense, involving "BlackKlansman" a best screenplay Oscar winner about a KKK white man and a black policeman who must be played by a white policeman when it comes to a meeting at the Klan which was emotionally involving.

Now we have "The Best of Enemies", based on a true story, about the leader of a KKK group in Durham, N.C. and an angry single black mother who works for an advocacy group and is not afraid to stand up to anyone of any color.

What should have been an emotionally involving and feel good story fails on both counts in spite of some excellent performances. My dictionary defines cliche as 1) made stale and uninteresting by repeated use and 2) a trite stereotype expression and both define "The Best of Enemies."

I, and by listening to comments by other audience members, learned a new word 'charrette' which is a French word used in problem serving and was what motivated Ann **** (Taraji P. Henson) and C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell) to each head a panel of their own race and decide whether schools should be desegregated among two other resolutions.

Without getting into spoilers, though I did not nor did I ever hear of this particular story, I knew where the story was going and was more interested in how the journey to the ending would go and it was more 'Hollywood' than reality.

Rockwell was excellent as the KKK leader married to Anne Heche, who I did not recognize, with 3 children, 1 an autistic child in a hospital, as we follow the arc of his character and how he changes.

I love Henson as Cookie in her television series "Empire" but in the last half a dozen movies I have seen her in, including this one, she just doesn't come across to me in movies. I will add that Allen thought she did a very good job as Ann.

Others in the cast including Babou Ceesay and Bruce McGill were spot on in their performances while Wes Bentley, who I have been a fan of since 1999 when he was in "American Beauty" seems to have gotten back on track after a problem with addiction.

Though I found "The Best of Enemies" disappointing, moving too slowly and not avoiding the 'Hollywood' touches I did learn a new word--charrette--and a part of history that was new to me and has made me interested in learning the whole story.

I, also, found the ending credits interesting showing the real people in the story!… Expand
User Reviews