Detroit (Kathryn Bigelow directing) (August 4, 2017)

[Joel M]

But does it have enough black women in it?

[Ryan Reynolds]

BREAKING: Kathryn Bigelow's DETROIT to open in select theaters on 7/28 before going wide on 8/4, incl. ArcLight Hwood/The Landmark/LA Live.

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) July 22, 2017

[filmlover]

1 minute ago, Ryan Reynolds said:

Well, this is sudden. And makes me inclined to think that they aren't very confident in the movie.

[Noodlebug]

Does anyone think this will cause a racial controversy among a portion of the movie going audience with accusations of race baiting like Get Out did, or will it be more toned down? I'm not seeing a lot talk either way, but when I saw the trailer in front of Dunkirk, the audience (mostly older white men) was very quiet with a few low murmurs. That's not much to go off of, but I got the impression that they were easily turned off by it, especially when you factor in the prominence of BLM and the political climate we're in. I imagine many will feel that it's shoving racial politics down their throat, even though it's based on historical events.

 

Just a thought I had.

[AJG]

Just now, Noodlebug said:

Does anyone think this will cause a racial controversy among a portion of the movie going audience with accusations of race baiting like Get Out did, or will it be more toned down? I'm not seeing a lot talk either way, but when I saw the trailer in front of Dunkirk, the audience (mostly older white men) was very quiet with a few low murmurs. That's not much to go off of, but I got the impression that they were easily turned off by it, especially when you factor in the prominence of BLM and the political climate we're in. I imagine many will feel that it's shoving racial politics down their throat, even though it's based on historical events.

 

Just a thought I had.

White people will complain about a black man being in a Star Wars movie. They're gonna complain about this but who cares at this point.

 

There's nothing to worry about with this movie. 

[CJohn]

9 hours ago, filmlover said:

Well, this is sudden. And makes me inclined to think that they aren't very confident in the movie.

Actually, it makes me believe they are very confident in the movie and want to build up WOM because tracking is poor for the August 4 wide release.

[Morieris]

28 minutes ago, Noodlebug said:

Does anyone think this will cause a racial controversy among a portion of the movie going audience with accusations of race baiting like Get Out did, or will it be more toned down? I'm not seeing a lot talk either way, but when I saw the trailer in front of Dunkirk, the audience (mostly older white men) was very quiet with a few low murmurs. That's not much to go off of, but I got the impression that they were easily turned off by it, especially when you factor in the prominence of BLM and the political climate we're in. I imagine many will feel that it's shoving racial politics down their throat, even though it's based on historical events.

 

Just a thought I had.

 

Anything with black people not being slaves or gunfire fodder is going to make a lot of white people mad. I'm beyond caring what they think when they hardly treat us like human beings.

[Joel M]

1 hour ago, Noodlebug said:

Does anyone think this will cause a racial controversy among a portion of the movie going audience with accusations of race baiting like Get Out did, or will it be more toned down? I'm not seeing a lot talk either way, but when I saw the trailer in front of Dunkirk, the audience (mostly older white men) was very quiet with a few low murmurs.

If it's a mainstream hit like Get Out there will be Twitter eggs and youtube comments and the usual people from the usual internet hell-holes crying about the war on the "real" minority here, white men.

 

If it just does fine but has enough critical support to be a thing in the oscar race, it will get thinkpieced to death by mostly white dudes raging about how a white woman dare to make a movie about the black experience.

 

If it's neither of those things (which looks likely atm) no one will bother and we will be spared of Bigelow-related rage this year.

[filmlover]

Embargo is over.

 

Variety (very positive): http://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/detroit-review-kathryn-bigelow-john-boyega-1202502122/

Indiewire (B): http://www.indiewire.com/2017/07/detroit-review-kathryn-bigelow-john-boyega-anthony-mackie-1967-riot-1201858448/2/

Hollywood Reporter ("tense and powerful but one-dimensional"): http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/detroit-review-1023656

The Wrap (very positive): http://www.thewrap.com/detroit-review-kathryn-bigelow-john-boyega/

Uproxx (mixed): http://uproxx.com/movies/detroit-review/

Edited July 23, 2017 by filmlover

[Cmasterclay]

Sounds pretty good. That Hollywood Reporter review is negative which is fine but the tone of it kinda pissed me off - said it was both too brutal and that the white police are portrayed as too universally bad. I'm glad we have a movie that doesn't shy away from the horror of police brutality and doesn't try to add in some "not all cops are bad!" message when the whole system is broken. I think it sounds admirable. But generally doesn't sound like an audience hit.

[filmlover]

3 minutes ago, Cmasterclay said:

Sounds pretty good. That Hollywood Reporter review is negative which is fine but the tone of it kinda pissed me off - said it was both too brutal and that the white police are portrayed as too universally bad. I'm glad we have a movie that doesn't shy away from the horror of police brutality and doesn't try to add in some "not all cops are bad!" message when the whole system is broken. I think it sounds admirable. But generally doesn't sound like an audience hit.

Yeah, pretty much this. Reviews seem like they'll be pretty good for the most part but without any real Oscar buzz (and with the main thread running through reviews being that it's very difficult to watch), I could see this kinda foundering at the box office. Summer was probably a bad time to release this.

Edited July 23, 2017 by filmlover

[CJohn]

Raves. As expected. Give it to me.

[Cmasterclay]

8 minutes ago, filmlover said:

Yeah, pretty much this. Reviews seem like they'll be pretty good for the most part but without any real Oscar buzz (and with the main thread running through reviews being that it's very difficult to watch), I could see this kinda foundering at the box office. Summer was probably a bad time to release this.

I do think there's some potential in that nihilism. I'm speaking for myself (as a white guy, which needs to be noted in context) but every liberal drama, from Selma to Children of Men to Hidden Figures to freaking War of the Planet of the Apes, has had an underlying structure: Witness these horrors, but everything is going to be alright. But I think that there's plenty of people, when it comes to this issue specifically and politics generally, that don't feel that way anymore. Maybe everything isn't going to be alright. Maybe we as a people, especially black people, aren't in an inspirational drama, we're in a fucking horror movie. Time will tell if that translates to box office dollars, but yea.

[WrathOfHan]

I think it'll open around 8M and drop around 35-40% every weekend. If reviews were glowing, I'd have stuck to 10M+. The limited release next weekend should tell us how it'll fare wide. 

[CoolioD1]

seems even the nice reviews agree the movie has a pretty wonky third act.

[Cmasterclay]

IDK call me crazy but based on these reviews I wouldn't quite rule this out as an Oscar contender just yet. Reviews are pretty strong and it has everything else going for it. Probably not winning Best Picture or anything but I don't see why it couldn't sneak in as a BP nom.

[filmlover]

4 minutes ago, Cmasterclay said:

IDK call me crazy but based on these reviews I wouldn't quite rule this out as an Oscar contender just yet. Reviews are pretty strong and it has everything else going for it. Probably not winning Best Picture or anything but I don't see why it couldn't sneak in as a BP nom.

On the downside, box office is likely gonna be very low. It's not really adult-friendly alternative fare (see: The Help, The Butler) or something that can be sold as an event (see: Straight Outta Compton). Even some of the reviews have some form of the "who is the audience for this?" question in them. And it's an August release which allows plenty of time for it to fade.

Edited July 23, 2017 by filmlover

[The Futurist]

Wake me up when Point Break 2 is announced.

Bigelow has lost the plot, it s kinda mind boggling.

If only she could get rid of this annoying Mark Boal guy, the world would have more great movies directed by a female director, alas ...

 

Edited July 23, 2017 by The Futurist

[WrathOfHan]

I think this is now a fringe BP nominee. It's definitely not in the upper half anymore; The Papers, Dunkirk, and Call Me by Your Name are definitely above it, and Shape of Water and mother! probably are as well.

[WrathOfHan]

Aw shit.