Ava DuVernay hit the big time with the civil rights biopic Selma (2014), which she followed with the popular drama series Queen Sugar, the critically acclaimed documentary 13th (2016) and the not-so-well received A Wrinkle in Time (2018).
13th is a documentary on how the American prison system is basically another form of slavery, constructed to jail and exploit African Americans and Hispanics for their labour.
So it's only natural and fitting that the lady behind the 13th documentary would tell the true story of what the American press dubbed the "Central Park Five" .
DuVernay created, co-wrote and directed the four-parter for Netflix, executively producing alongside heavyweights Oprah Winfey and Robert De Niro.
The Central Park Five were Kevin Richardson (14), Raymond Santana (14), Antron McCray (15), Yusef Salaam (15), and 16-year-old Korey Wise.
The five teenagers were accused of gang raping a white jogger in 1989. DuVernay takes us on a journey of how the #CentralPark5 became #TheExonorated5.
The journey aforementioned is not easy. It's heart-breaking. Infuriating. Showcasing a director on top of her game, brilliant performances, a nostalgic soundtrack and a tour de force indictment on the United States criminal justice system and its current president.
DuVernay, who directed all four episodes, does some of her best work thus far.
From the re-creation of archival footage, to the blocking (i.e. placing of actors) to subtle lens choices whereby she plays with focus and angles, depending on dramatic moments, to create a feeling of isolation. She also gets the young cast to step-up performance wise.
The young cast that plays the childhood versions of the imprisoned five hold their own against their adult counterparts and the older cast members.
The series is littered with talent from Blair Underwood to Joshua Jackson ...to Felicity Huffman... but what the kids do to measure up to such names is brilliant.
Each teen actor's portrayal gives a unique slant to their character but Jharrel Jerome (of Moonlight fame) is the shining light.
He is the only actor to play both the teenage and adult version of his character. He has one of the most harrowing arcs and the man delivers.
If one is not fighting back tears due to the wonderful performances that the cast put forward, the whole situation the characters go through can drive one to drink or push your blood pressure up due to anger.
The injustice of teenagers being railroaded by the police, then the prosecutors, then the actual criminal system is hard to take.
Although South Africa has its many cases of wrongful arrests and profiling, the injustice portrayed in this series hits a sore nerve. The fact that Trump became president after what he did in the late 80s, shows how messed up the US is.
The series raises plenty of questions, from the press who were interested in headlines and not really finding out the truth, to the cops who let their own prejudice make them blind to the evidence and the fact that the accused were just teenagers and no-one treated them as such... is sad.
All they saw were rapists, hooligans and barbarians. They came from the wrong side of New York... spoke the wrong slang... had the wrong skin colour and a white woman had been victimized, therefore any black would do.
It was basically a public lynching akin to what the American South used to to do to black bodies in the 1950's... just that this time the justice system is the rope.
Although the series points at the terrible conditions of the US prison system, it also has a very subtle message about everyday prejudice and racism when internalised or shown from one group to another. Where it leads society.
The series is an indictment on why racism is such an evil... evil thing.
I must say, come Emmy time, don't be surprised when folks forget that we saw the last season of Game of Thrones.
When They See Us shows that TV and the mini-series genre is still very, very relevant and powerful in today's TV.
Real world issues, expertly handled, trumps dragons that are exploited for visual effects.
It Felt Like: Sleepers, but with a more positive ending.
Trivia: Post the Netflix release, the prosecutor and lead investigator have faced major backlash whereby both were forced to quit their jobs and one has been let go from her book publishing deal.
Rating
*****
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* Nyoso ** ja nee ***ya zama ****almost perfect ***** Classic