First coined by Spike Lee during a series of lectures in the early 2000s, ‘The Magical Negro‘ refers to the trope of having a supporting black character come to the aid of the white lead, providing wisdom or assistance at just the right time.
This satirical comedy takes aim at that, telling the story of a young artist named Aren (Justice Smith) who is invited into The American Society of Magical Negroes, a guild that secure African American safety by appeasing white people.
His first mission for the society, working at a social media company, puts his growing affection for a colleague (An-Li Bogan) directly at odds with his new responsibilities.
The film starts off well, with some very funny world building sequences and an explanation of how the society has played a part in American history.
Sadly, it doesn’t keep with its conceit, turning into a mixture of romantic comedy and superhero film. The narrative feels inconsistent, and the focus becomes more about winning the girl than finding any broader conclusions.
That’s no fault of the cast: Smith, who has had significant roles in Jurassic World, Pokemon, and the Dungeons and Dragons movies, fits well as the likeable lead. David Allen Grier is also on fine form as Aren’s mentor Roger, and Bogan plays the love interest sweetly. It’s just that sweetness isn’t quite what was expected.
This could have been a searing cultural lesson along the lines of 2018’s Sorry To Bother You or Spike Lee’s own media Satire Bamboozled. Instead, it pulls itself in too many directions and feels unsatisfying.
The Society of Magical Negroes is in cinemas now
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