The Reckoning

Hudson (Defiant) takes a microscope to the complicated role that protests and video evidence play in investigating and acquiring justice for the murder of Black Americans in this straightforwardly told tale. Black middle schooler Lamar Philips dreams of becoming a famous filmmaker like his idol, Spike Lee. Inspired by his grandfather’s stories about participating in the civil rights movement, Lamar endeavors to make a documentary about Gramps’s life; he also digs into the Black history of his Morton, La., hometown, and becomes interested in the contemporary machinations of Morton’s leadership. But before Lamar can start working on the film, Gramps is killed in a shooting. The perpetrator, a white man who was once the head of the local KKK, claims self-defense, setting off a series of protests demanding justice and that the local authorities conduct a full investigation. While the movement builds steam, it sheds light on Morton citizens’ latent racism. Hudson utilizes an evenly paced story line and clear-eyed narration to explore systemic prejudice through the lens of a young Black filmmaker grieving the death of an inspiring loved one, resulting in a multilayered depiction of segregation and contemporary racism in America. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)