User reviews

Rodney King (2017)

*** (out of 4)

Roger Guenveur Smith's one-man show is the focus of this Netflix special, which was directed by Spike Lee.

The power of this film and everything good about it certainly comes from Smith. I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm a fan of his or that I even knew too much about the man. As the film started I was caught a bit off guard as this was a stand-up routine, a very theatrical one but as the film moved along it became a lot better.

Basically Smith is recounting the life and death of Rodney King and everything surrounding him. Obviously the beating he took and the start of the L.A. Riots are discussed but we get Smith reciting not only King's words but also the words of people around him. It could be a rap artist doing a song about him or it could be a media person saying something. Smith talks throughout the running time and it's rather amazing to see him be able to remember all of these lines and deliver them with such power.

Those expecting a straight documentary are going to be disappointed because that's not what this is. I'm not going to say I enjoy everything about this special because I didn't but at the same time Smith deserves an A+ for his performance and effort. I really thought he did a magnificent job with delivering the lines and managing to make you think about what he was saying even though he was delivering the lines extremely fast and on point.

RODNEY KING is a rather interesting and creative look at the life of a troubled man who found himself in many situations that he just didn't intend to be in.

Surprised about the negative response/reviews, to this powerful performance. Roger Guenveur Smith delivers a harrowing and most passionate performance of the events surrounding the life, beating and aftermath of Rodney King.

It is raw. It is uncomfortable in it's emotion. But it's also a tour de force.

If you are interested in that era, those events, and the man himself, this is a must watch.

Rodney King is an interesting story for many People and if it was a movie with him I would still see it, but this show is simply to weird - it Cannot be recomanded to see it

In this one-man show, Mr. Smith takes us through the saga of Rodney King--a story of a man subjected to enormous police brutality--captured on video--who received no justice. Smith pulls us right back into the early 90s, filled with racial tensions, and the divides between the police, white America, and the America of PoC. Through Smith's performance, we can feel it all--the terror, the anger, and the sadness. He holds up a mirror to us all, in which we stand in the harsh, unflinching light of truth. I write this as we are, once again, as a nation, embroiled in the failures of our justice system--making this story both of its time, and timeless.

A powerful telling of a recent historical event that serves as a reminder for any of us that were much younger during the beating, verdict, and riots.