Whether we realize it or not, from the moment we see someone for the first time we make assumptions about that person, both positively and negatively. We are unconsciously blind to aspects that do not fit with that image and can therefore draw completely wrong conclusions. That is the important idea behind Blindspotting and that results in a very powerful film.
After Collin Hodgkins (Daveed Diggs) gets out of jail, he has to comply with strict rules during his probationary period. For example, he must be in his room in his halfway house on time every day and he must not have contact with criminals. The last few days of his probationary period prove to be the most difficult. He works together with his best friend Miles (Rafael Casal) as a mover. On the way home, when he witnesses how a police officer shoots an unarmed person, he is haunted by the images. Meanwhile, Miles seems to be less and less predictable. He buys an unregistered gun and takes it everywhere, including when Collin is there, which means he would have to go back to jail if it is discovered. It puts pressure on their bond and psychologically it is increasingly difficult for Collin.
With his role in the theater production Hamilton, Diggs won several awards and wrote the script for Blindspotting together with poet Casal, in which they regularly use their own art form. The result is a raw film in which emotions regularly run high. Because of the well-established, complex relationships between the characters you are drawn into the world of Collin and his struggles as a viewer. But Blindspotting is more than that, it also has something to say about America today and the police violence that regularly makes headlines. This results in a strong, emotional and impressive climax in which confrontation is sought and Collin seems to speak directly to the viewer. His form of poetry lays bare the pain and frustration that he feels in detail. A moment that you hits you and won’t forget quickly. Under the direction of Carlos López Estrada, Blindspotting is a title that is worth watching and which shows the struggle of an ex-prisoner who returns to society, but also the problems that play in society that sometimes make that difficult.
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