Performances from the teens are particularly strong, with Johnson, Hilson and Walker adeptly carrying the emotional weight of the film. Berry is perhaps too much of a mamma bear, otherwise undefined as a character on her own. Craig has even more of a struggle, veering wildly from cantankerous grouch to happy-dancing babysitter. And the connection between Berry and Craig feels more than a little spurious. But each person on-screen, young or old, brings a sense of gritty honesty to his or her role.

The title connects two iconic Kings: Martin Luther and Rodney. But Erguven isn't making simplistic links between them. She also isn't trying to find an easy explanation for the riots themselves. Instead, she takes an unnervingly ambitious approach to a massively meaningful event, using a limited perspective that's exhilarating and also frustrating, because it feels so messy and abrupt. Indeed, the film's uneven approach is difficult to engage with, but Erguven has made an audacious movie that vividly places the audience at ground zero in history.

themes, language violence, sexuality

7.Aug.19

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