"Bamboozled" is easily the most disappointing movie of 2000, and of Spike Lee's career. Simplistic and confusing all at once, this film suffers from multiple maladies. There's poor character development(especially in the case of Pierre, who we learn surprisingly little about, and Womack, whose righteous change of heart seems to come out of nowhere). There are rapid style changes (is this film a narrative? A documentary? A farce? A straight drama?), all handled with the grace of a donkey falling down a flight of stairs. The last 10 minutes are so disjointed and nonsensical that the viewer is left wondering who slipped what substance into their soda. Keenan Wayans is simply awful.
This satire doesn't know what kind of satire it wants to be. It occupies multiple places along the continuum between understated satire and full-blown silliness, but never finds a place of its own. In addition, Spike "Why whisper when you can shout?" Lee's lack of subtlety destroys this work completely.
There are some positives. Savion Glover and Tommy Davidson deliver with a bang. Lee lampoons both sides of the racial coin, often effectively. The inclusion of demeaning stereotypes from vintage film and cartoons is necessary and thorough--but very overdone by the end.
It's sad that this film falls so short of what it could have been in more capable hands. This is an important topic, and a film that desperately needs to be made...by someone else.
This satire doesn't know what kind of satire it wants to be. It occupies multiple places along the continuum between understated satire and full-blown silliness, but never finds a place of its own. In addition, Spike "Why whisper when you can shout?" Lee's lack of subtlety destroys this work completely.
There are some positives. Savion Glover and Tommy Davidson deliver with a bang. Lee lampoons both sides of the racial coin, often effectively. The inclusion of demeaning stereotypes from vintage film and cartoons is necessary and thorough--but very overdone by the end.
It's sad that this film falls so short of what it could have been in more capable hands. This is an important topic, and a film that desperately needs to be made...by someone else.