Brooke Shields, Robert Downey Jr., Power, Bijou
Phillips, Method Man, Gaby Hoffman, Elijah Wood, Allan Houston,
Jared Leto, Joe Pantoliano, Raekwon, Claudia Schiffer, Eddie
Kaye Thomas, Mike Tyson and Ben Stiller
The most interesting facet of BLACK AND WHITE, James
Toback's latest ensemble film about race in America, is the way
it differs from other films about the same subject. While
it manages to titillate erotically and find a decent comedic rhythm,
the message comes through loud and clear: white people are silly,
and black people are unable to control themselves. While the attempt
to capture our current racial moment in time is a worthy goal,
the film manages to only come up with surfaces, stereotypes, and
stupidity.
The silly white people include Charlie (Bijou Phillips),
a young rich girl who, in an act of rebellion, hangs out with
a number of white kids who wish they were black, including her
boyfriend Renz (Elijah Wood) and best friend Raven (Gaby Hoffman).
She also sleeps with a hip hop promoter and former mobster, Rich
(Oli "Power" Grant), who is in the middle of a racial
turf war with Scotty (Scott Aaron). Rich's childhood friend, Dean
(Allan Houston), is being offered bribes by Mark (Ben Stiller)
to throw college basketball games. His deceptive girlfriend, Greta
(Claudia Schiffer), plans to sell Dean out. Meanwhile, Mike Tyson
(playing himself) seems to hang out at Rich's house a great deal
for no apparent reason, and the white kids are the arbitrary subject
of a documentary made by Sam (Brooke Shields) and her gay husband
Terry (Robert Downey, Jr.).
If it sounds meandering, it is. If it sounds pointless,
it is. BLACK AND WHITE is basically a series of opportunities
for director/writer James Toback to pontificate about race as
only a very rich white man can. Any real interest in the roots
of racism -- prejudice, bigotry, ignorance -- is muted by Toback's
screenplay. Women are, without exception, treated as idiot bimbos
who are useful only as sex toys. Gays are treated even worse --
Robert Downey Jr.'s flaming Paul Lynde impression is used only
as a source of humor, as he gets beaten up by Mike Tyson or pathetically
whines to his wife about his lust for boys. While Toback may be
trying to capture race in 1999, his attitudes toward women and
gays dates back to the Paleolithic Era.
Even as a snapshot of a small group of people, certain
consistencies exist. The African-Americans are portrayed as sex-fixated
thugs with the exception of Dean, who fulfills another stereotype,
that of the money-grubbing opportunist. If Toback is trying to
make a statement, it's an embarrassing one.
The film itself isn't very remarkable. The camera work
is predictably hand-held and shaky, desperately seeking some sense
of verite. Many characters seems to have been given wide latitude
in their improvisations, and while accomplished pros like Stiller
or Downey may get away with such indulgences, many others fall
sadly on their faces. Claudia Schiffer, in particular, embarrasses
herself with her complete inability to convey emotion.
In the end, BLACK AND WHITE proves that race isn't
always interesting, just merely provocative. Certainly, Toback's
images of interracial sex will titillate and shock certain audiences.
Certainly, hearing Mike Tyson pontificate about the wrongs he's
committed will entertain the more gossip-prone viewers. But as
a work of art or a work of political commentary, BLACK AND WHITE
is just a muddy grey mess.
