BAMBOOZLED

2000

If this film had been made by a white director, both Johnny Cochran and the Reverend Al Sharpton would have led protests all over the country to have it boycotted. But because it was made by Spike Lee, noted writer, director, and racist, not only did they not protest it, but rather, they've taken small roles in the film! In any case, for whatever mixed-up racial reasons, the public is lucky that it was made, because Spike Lee can, and does say things that need to be said, and get away with them. The premise of the film is that a television network, sinking in the ratings, has decided to put on a controversial show about blacks. The ridiculous studio boss, a white Jewish man who would rather be black(Michael Rapaport,) and his Harvard-educated token black writer(Damon Wayans,) come up with the idea of doing a minstrel show set in a watermelon patch on a plantation down south...complete with black actors in blackface! Every racial stereotype is exploited in the TV show whose characters have names like Sambo, Aunt Jemima, and Sleep and Eat. If you've seen "Big Brother" or "Survivor," then you can guess that the show is not only a great success, but the studio audiences (as well as people in the street) start showing up in blackface!!! As in all Spike Lee films, the film tries to say too much, and mixes styles jarringly (comedy scenes give way to scenes of murder and a bloodbath,) but all in all, it's one of Spike Lee's best films.

4 Stars

NJB