Chi-Raq (2015)

Jack and I thoroughly enjoyed Spike Lee's modern retelling of Aristophanes' 2400+ year-old comedy Lysistrata, in which women of Chicago's south side go on a sex strike to end gang violence. Told in verse, both rhymed and free, it boasts lots of humor, a high body count, colorful wardrobe, creative choreography, and the inimitable Samuel L. Jackson (last blogged in Kingsman: The Secret Service) as a one man Greek chorus/narrator named Dolmedes, whose performance alone is worth the price of admission. The luscious leader of the women, Lysistrata herself, is played to perfection by Teyonah Parris (first covered in these pages for Dear White People), driving mad her partner named Chi-Raq (a mash-up of Chicago and Iraq, because of violence and warfare) who is leader of the purple-wearing Spartans and played by Nick Cannon (his work includes Drumline (2002), Shall We Dance (2004), Bobby (2006), and six episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and here he's a believable rapper). The rival orange gang is, you guessed it, the Trojans, led by Cyclops, played by a simpering Wesley Snipes (I didn't see the Blade series, but I did like Mo' Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991) (both Spike Lee joints), White Men Can't Jump (1992), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), One Night Stand (1997), and Down in the Delta (1998)) in an eye patch.

Even before the feminists start chanting "No peace, no pussy!" (on the poster it says NO PEACE NO PIECE) some characters are also trying to stop the violence, including Angela Bassett (Oscar-nominated for playing Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), I also loved Malcolm X (1992), Strange Days (1995), Waiting to Exhale (1995), Contact (1997), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Music of the Heart (1999), Sunshine State (2002), Akeelah and the Bee (2006), and Notorious), Jennifer Hudson (won an Oscar and more for Dreamgirls (2007) and shone in The Secret Life of Bees), and John Cusack (last blogged for Love & Mercy), all with American names. Dave Chappelle also joins the cast after a thirteen year break from acting.

Director/co-writer Spike Lee (profiled in Miracle at St. Anna) calls all his movies "Spike Lee Joints," and I've seen and liked most of them. He wrote this time with Kevin Willmott, who is new to me. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique (most recently shot Cowboys & Aliens) and costume designer Ruth E. Carter (Oscar-nominated for Malcolm X (1992) and Amistad (1997), also did a bunch of other Lee joints and Selma) contribute mightily to the look of the picture.

When Lee began his feature career with She's Gotta Have It (1986), his father Bill Lee composed his jazz soundtracks. Bill handed over the baton to Terence Blanchard for Jungle Fever (1991), who has been providing new jazz tracks for Spike's joints ever since. Some of Blanchard's notable and recognized work from that oeuvre not mentioned above includes 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), and Inside Man (2006). You're more likely, however, to remember from this movie the rap and pop singles in the soundtrack, available to stream on Amazon Prime from this link, including a single by Hudson, who doesn't sing on camera.

Our local paper ran two-week-old article from the Washington Post a few days ago, naming this movie as one of the ten best of the year. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are averaging 81% but its audiences only 61. I guess joints aren't for everyone.