Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Black or White

Top positive review

Has a good story to tell!

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2021

I have watched this movie about three or four times. I like it because it covers some much-needed topics like racism, problems with alcohol as well as emotional experiences like losing a loved one and dealing with drug/alcohol addiction. I love Kevin Costner in this as well as Octavia Spencer who am I really love in every movie that I've seen her in. Kevin Costner plays a lawyer who has recently lost his wife and is raising his bi-racial granddaughter. Octavia Spencer is the child's grandmother and her son is the father of the young girl and is battling drug addiction, . It's a good one to watch if you're in the mood for something that's kind of emotional but has a really good story to tell.

Top critical review

All critical reviews›

Robert E. Malone

Tropes and stereotypes with some strong black characters

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2020

While the movie portrays many strong, successful black characters is centered on the trope/stereotype of Eloise's Dad being the sole 'bad seed' in his family. It also kind of incongruously had his as completely blind to his failings and the reasons for his drug use rendering him entirely two dimensional until his big turn around at the end. Even Costner's character was pretty two dimensional...playing the older white man with a 'slight' drinking problem...skirting the fact that the poor guy probably needed rehab. The whole thing was a bit vanilla to me. The writing and directing really made a powderpuff out of what could have been a striking story/film ending up forgettable.

One person found this helpful

Sort by

Filter by

3,532 global ratings | 1,825 global reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

Robert E. Malone

Tropes and stereotypes with some strong black characters

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

One person found this helpful

Helpful

dxyou23

Has a good story to tell!

Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2021

Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2015

Verified Purchase

I wasn't sure about how I felt about this movie when I read the reviews but I thought I'd give it a chance due to the subject it addressed. Wow, I am so glad I did! This is about more than just black or white, it is about unbiased love! As a parent you have no control over who becomes part of your family, question is how do your respond when its not like you wanted it to be? What are you made of; your morals, your values, your commitment as a parent.
As a person of mixed nationalities this movie spoke to me about the need in me to embrace who I am and be thankful that I had parents and grandparents who were committed to love and care for me. I needed the unity of diversity to be complete. Olivia Spencer and Kevin Costner did outstanding job of presenting this and the social dilemmas we sometimes find ourselves in...on both sides of the fence!

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

DBD

Another great performance by Kevin Costner

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

love it. oh my gosh! so many things speaks for itself in this movie. Kevin gave the performance of his life.. all that he spoke was so true on so many levels.. about race. love his lines at the end of the trial... great performance. the child actress was great,. matter of fact all the cast did ther part beautifully. I have to buy this one... The only thing is I am lost, because the story do not give any details how his seventeen year old daughter met up with this at the time twenty three year old thug.... what ? why was she in the ghetto with crack house next door? This plot was not carried out enough to get a clear picture to how all this came about... bits and pieces are missing...... but it's still a gripping story.. it would have been really emotional if the child had lines that really grip the heart... I love Kevin's part.. ..... his lines were true to the heart.....

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

mommadose@yahoo,com

A Great Movie To See

Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is a very good movie, in the world we are living in now it might help some people to understand and except and love there fellow man. Kevin Costner plays the part of a Grandfather who is raising his mixed granddaughter she is half white and half black I fell in love with this movie. Everyone please go see this movie

Helpful

Vickie R.

Good Movie

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2015

Verified Purchase

I'm a big Kevin Costner fan and I thought he was terrific in this movie, as were Octavia Spencer and Andre' Holland. The little girl, Jillian Estelle, was adorable I do wish though that they would have gone a little more in depth with the story line. More about his daughter who died...why she left home, who or what drove her out, why didn't they know she was in labor? It seemed like there was so much more that needed to be told about the relationship between parents and daughter. Also I would have liked to know more about the other family and Grandma WeeWee (sp?). There was a lot left unexplained. It left me somewhat unsatisfied.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Roz

Good movie

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Watched this film and had a discussion at work in observance of black history month. I liked the film and the storyline triggered some. I didn’t care for the ending but, I enjoyed watching both academy award winning actors Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner!

Helpful

Kim Mangelsdorf

Watch with all your Friends and Family

Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

This movie has a lot to say about the world we are living in now. A white Grandfather is trying to keep custody of his deceased daughter's half black half white child. Him and his wife has been raising her from birth. Then the white Grandmother passes away. Now the Grandaughters other side are wanting her and are going to court over it. The child's father though wants nothing to do with her. Who will win? Black or White? What a deep movie that hits you in the heart no matter what color you are!

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Echosyn

A Message For The Ages

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

Very well presented truth about skin color being just a fact of genetics and the problems lie in bad ethics and bad morals apart from race. Racism is a curable problem common to all races.

Helpful

Becky

Real stuff!

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

This was a good watch. It exemplifies the roles of racism in the world today as we attempt to come to terms with who we are as a divided people attempting to unite. There remain underlying tensions and assumptions about the diverse groups represented in this film, and I think the film suugests that we all must look deeper.
With that said, I think Costner is an iconic actor, and Octavia Spencer was a good choice for his antagonist. Heis character is not an easy protagonist to like, but they had an excellent on screen dynamic. The mutual respect, and dare I say love, potrayed between them was moving. I do think, however, the plot line falters at the end, and I'm not sure why Spencer's character gives up so easily in court. That is, I felt the climax just didn't reach the power and symbolism it could have. I'm not suggesting an attempt to solve race relations, but an attempt to make the resolution more clear would have been nice.
Overall, I liked this movie.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Need customer service? Click here

‹ See all details for Black or White

5 star		77%
4 star		13%
3 star		6%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

Black or White

›

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Black or White

Top positive review

Top critical review

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Black or White › Customer reviews

Customer reviews

Black or White

Top positive review

Top critical review

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

Black or White

›

Customer reviews