The best reason to watch Black or White is to see Kevin Costner get absolutely shit-faced drunk while yelling at his dead daughter’s baby daddy for smoking too much crack.
Kevin just can’t stand the guy—calls him every offensive name in the book while downing yet another whiskey on the rocks.
But that’s not the only good reason to watch this movie. I also love the part where Bill Burr tells Kevin Costner that if he doesn’t have a drinking problem, then he’s sure as hell addicted to anger—and the drinking is just an outgrowth of that. Can you imagine Bill Burr, of all people, lecturing you about your anger issues? Like, how bad does it have to be when the guy who makes a living going off the rails tells you to dial it back a little?
And if that’s still not enough of a reason to see Black or White, how about Octavia Spencer telling Kevin Costner off for not liking Black people? And for good measure, calling him a no-good, dirty drunk.
Now, this movie could have been one of those didactic family dramas about race relations. The title makes it seem like a binary, right-versus-wrong story where there’s a clear hero and villain. But in reality, this whole thing has the unhinged thrill of a Jerry Springer episode—albeit with major-league actors and better production value.
The plot revolves around a custody battle over a mixed-race girl. The people fighting it out? Kevin Costner, a rich guy living in his mansion with a pool, and Octavia Spencer, an entrepreneurial woman living in the hood with her big family gathered around while she finesses some real estate deals. Complicating things further, the poor girl’s father is, in fact, a loser, but Octavia refuses to see it because she just wants everyone in her family to grow and thrive.
Meanwhile, Kevin Costner’s wife has recently died, so he’s trying to process that while fighting for custody and insisting he doesn’t have a drinking problem—which, I assure you, he does. The man practically owns a full bar in his living room.
The side characters in this movie are spectacular. Big props to Bill Burr, who plays Kevin Costner’s friend and lawyer. But I also have to shout out Anthony Mackie, who plays Octavia Spencer’s lawyer (and relative). He’s got some zippy lines and really brings out his inner Johnny Cochran.
And then there’s the egghead tutor, Duvan, played by Mpho Koaho. Despite being 19, the guy knows six languages, is a math genius, and has written in-depth papers on practically everything… except substance abuse. When he’s not tutoring Kevin Costner’s granddaughter, he’s driving Kevin around because, well, Kevin is simply too drunk to drive.
Man, this film was a blast. It’s a heavy drama—no question—but watching Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer go at it in a high-stakes court battle? That’s something to witness.
Is it a perfect film? No. I thought the ending was a little too neat. Actually, I’ll just say it—the ending wrapped things up way too easily, which kind of diminished the impact of the story and its overall message.
Black or White was written and directed by Mike Binder. He’s mostly a writer, known for Reign Over Me, The Upside of Anger, and The Search for John Gissing, but he’s also done some directing, mostly for TV. He does a solid job here—no complaints.
So, do I recommend Black or White? Definitely. It dives into racial politics quite a bit and has some genuinely insightful moments. But the best part? The acting. Oh boy, I can’t get enough of an angry, drunk Kevin Costner.
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