Detroit – Budget of $30 million – 2 hours and 23 minutes

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Several days after a police sting became a full-blown riot in the streets of Detroit, Melvin Dismukes is hired as a security guard for a grocery store.  He is asked to protect it from looters and bombers.  Larry (from the singing group the Dramatics) and his bodyguard Fred are trying to find some fun at their hotel.  Their show was canceled because the riot was approaching the theater.  Karen and Julie are visiting from Ohio and decide to stay at a local hotel and hang out.  Larry and Fred see Karen and Julie and spark a conversation.  The women invite the guys to Karen’s friend’s hotel to eat.  Karen’s friend Carl is sick of the police and makes his feelings known to them.  Then, he pulls out a pistol as an example.   He fires a shot, only to have his friends laugh at the fours shocked expression.  He is just holding a starter pistol.  All girls and guys go to separate rooms in the hotel for the night, but Carl fires the start pistol a few more times, which trigger the local police to look for the shooter.  When the police get to the hotel, they start shooting.  Everyone inside the hotel ducks for cover.  At the end of the movie, there will be 3 dead bodies, 2 sides to the story, and fateful ruling that will follow these men and women forever.

This one is a hard pill to swallow.  You will constantly wonder what more can happen and how will everyone get out of this.  First, the deaths could have been easily prevented several times by the State Police or the National Guard.  But both decided to leave it to the local police in order to avoid a civil rights matter.  Secondly, an officer, who was accused of committing a bad shooting early that day, should have been removed from the job.   Now, you are probably thinking, ‘What about the starter pistol’.  Well, you need to see the movie for that.  This is not for the faint of heart.  It covers a lot of tough topics that hit home today.  However, interviews from those who lived it running during the credits could have made it better.  While there are no “heroes” in the classic sense, there are anti-heroes.  Not villains, but anti-heroes.  The people who survive the night, by doing what’s necessary.

I give it a 4.5 out of 5

Change is coming – Congressmen Conyers

Jesus Christ, I’m sorry – Phillip Krauss

Is he black? I didn’t know.  I’m color blind – Karen

I’m not gonna cause any trouble, but I’m not gonna lie down either – Greene

I know I’m overqualified but I need a job – Larry

I think you have the wrong house – Frank

I didn’t do this – Dismukes

They can’t tell where it’s coming from – Carl

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