Movie Review - Whose Streets?

Whose Streets? **** (out of 5) (R) It’s rather difficult for a white guy in his late 60s to review this powerful documentary about the aftermath of Michael Brown’s fatal shooting by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. Even so, it’s invaluable for people in all demographic categories to experience this ground-level view of the situation, not only because it occurred right here, but because it was sadly just one of many similar incidents all around the country.

Critics of the subject and its treatment will likely jump to the defense so common to Michael Moore’s controversial works, and anything else they disagree with - it’s not objective. Well, so what? There’s no such thing as an objective documentary . Every film maker venturing into this realm has an interest in the topic and a point of view about it. The valid question is how fairly and honestly does a film present the material. This one seems to do pretty well on that score. Not every protester is lauded; nor are all the cops and politicians demonized. There were white demonstrators and black restrainers in the mix.

The film’s importance lies in how it humanizes those directly affected, both black and white, within the community. The Brown family isn’t featured; nor is the case of police misconduct re-litigated. What we see is mostly how and why emotions were running so high, and why the climate was so volatile, in context with longstanding factors. Footage from TV news coverage is broadened greatly by videos from hand-held phone cameras, providing more subtleties and texture than we could possibly get from the pieces that aired. The fact that a normal, law-abiding family’s front porch had a doormat reading “Come Back With a Warrant” speaks volumes.

Perhaps the most important lesson that everyone should retain from this account is a quote shown early in the going: “A riot is the language of the unheard”. If a society doesn’t recognize its shortcomings and correct them, its likely endurance is compromised. This reminds us it’s time for all to listen to others and work towards understanding and solutions. Everyone wins if we do.
(8/11/17)