Official Synopsis:
What's it like to live in someone else's skin? Find out by watching this fascinating documentary series in which the African-American Sparks family (Brian, Renee and 16-year-old Nick) trades places with the Caucasian Wurgel family (Bruno, Carmen and 17-year-old Rose) thanks to an incredible visual transformation created by Hollywood make-up artists. The two families agree to share a home for the duration of a six-week social experiment that will challenge their beliefs and core values in ways they could have never imagined. Their unscripted experiences are often explosive, always intriguing and ultimately insightful...resulting in a totally unique cultural perspective that's anything but black-and-white!
Our Take:
I was really, really prepared to hate this show.
I'll be honest; right from the start, I had a problem with Black. White.'s central premise. I just don't buy that these families look authentic in their opposite-ethnicity make-up. And that's a hard thing for me to get over. Because how do you have people interact on an authentic level when you just can't buy that they look truly black or white? And now that I've watched the show, I still say that the family members all look like they have some kind of weird skin condition. But somehow, the show works despite that.
Actually, it does more than work. To my complete and utter surprise, the show is absolutely fascinating. Skin condition aside, once the families are out in the real world (where I imagine most people can buy their authenticity because, really, who would expect someone to be painted black or white?), it's absolutely amazing to see someone in a world so different from their own. Watching Brian (the black man) working in a bar in a completely white neighborhood and listening to how it's one of the last "nice” neighborhoods left (because it's still all white) is powerful stuff. Likewise, watching Bruno (the white man) determinedly sticking to his theory that racism is based mostly on black people's expectations of being treated differently is fascinating.
By far the star of the show, though, is 17-year-old Rose (the white daughter), who is incredibly smart and open-minded. She is out to learn here, and she is both extremely receptive to and extremely moved by her experiences.
The DVD release for Black. White. is a two-disc set that includes some decent extra features.
* Commentaries - Each episode fetaures commentary by producer RJ Cutler and pairs of the family members, including the teenagers. They have a lot of insights on their experiences and each other.
* Make-Up Slideshow - A photo gallery of the extensive make-up procedures used to transform the families.
* Casting Videos - The original audition tapes for the Sparks family (9 minutes) and the Wurgels (10 minutes).
* Life Casting the Sparks (5 minutes) - Footage of the Sparks family undergoing the "life casting" make-up process.
* Rose’s Poetry Slam (4 minutes) – Footage of Rose’s performance.
* Music Video – Ice Cube’s “Black. White.”
* Study Guides - DVD-ROM materials that can be used by teachers who want to use the show as an educational tool.
If I have one complaint about the DVD, it's that they didn't uncensor the show for it. I understand that this is a show with a powerful message that can be valuable for people of all ages to watch, but I think an alternate audio option that would let us hear it uncensored would have been nice. It's not that I like excessive swearing, but there are some scenes that I think the raw, unflinching honesty of ends up diluted in because of the bleeping. Other than that, however, Black. White. is a surprisingly compelling show.
I know what you're thinking, because I felt the same way before I watched it, but it's really good. Give it a shot; you'll enjoy it and maybe learn something while you're at it. Trust me, I was as surprised as you are.
RECOMMENDED!
Overall Picture:
Show: A
DVD: A
- Mike Spring
Editor
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