The American Society of Magical Negros
The American Society of Magical Negros is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated PG-13. Common Sense says 14.
STORY: B-
It’s a solid satire that keeps folks dialed in long enough for its message to get through.
Aren (Justice Smith) is a starving artist, struggling to make a buck. One day, he takes a job with The American Society of Magical Negros, a group that protects Black lives by making sure white people stay calm and happy. Doing so comes at a huge cost, and Aren must decide if giving up his own happiness for the cause is worth it.
PEOPLE: B
Justice Smith gives an up and down performance, but those ups will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater.
I don’t believe for a minute that Justice Smith is a bumbling pushover. While most folks would take that as a compliment, Mr. Smith’s problem is that Aren needs to be one for the first half of the film. When he’s in bumble-mode, it feels forced. We’re watching someone act instead of experiencing something that feels like a real world.
But he gets a few scenes in the film’s final third that lets him shed the pushover vibe. In them, confusion and pain take turns pummeling him. Whatever protective barrier he’s been forced to build between himself and the world is torn down. He’s ripped apart, and his performance becomes riveting, raw, and real.
FILM NERD STUFF: C
It’s a film made with capable craft, if not awe-inspiring artistry.
Oscars season is over. We’ve spent the last few months watching movies made by the best of the best. We’re spoiled. We forget that not every film’s quality reaches those heights.
And it’s ok to not reach that level. Not being excellent doesn’t mean that something is bad. I’ve always found the “If you’re not first, you’re last!” philosophy stupid and quite detrimental to making art.
The film’s crew does its job well. Their work is almost invisible. It doesn’t draw any attention to itself for any reason, good or for bad. That actually forces the story to the front of our attention, which in this case is a good, important thing.
WINDOWS & MIRRORS (Elective Class): B+
The film recognizes the sacrifices racism can force Black people to make, while never bailing on in its desire to entertain.
Though the film is a satire, it accurately portrays the things some Black people do in order to stay safe in our country.
There are white people that have no idea that many Black people behave the way Aren does (or, worse, they’ve been told about it but refuse to accept it). For them, the movie is a window.
There may be Black people who have never been able to define this part of their experience (like Aren, who finally does). For them, they get a better view of themselves and the world by looking into this mirror.
FINAL COMMENTS:
The film has gotten a lot of criticism for not being edgy enough or for not treating its premise with the importance and/or respect that it demands. Those critics are right when they claim it’s not edgy or a stunningly crafted film.
However, I don’t think that it should be criticized for those that. It’s a well-enough made film whose main goal is to get people in the seats. I’m hoping it will, and that the people in those seats keep its somewhat hokey portrait of a gravely serious aspect of America in their hearts and minds as they go out into the world.