When the Levees Broke – 6.5

“Requiem” is a better term than “documentary” for Spike Lee’s four-part history of the people, mostly Black, who suffered through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. There was little forward momentum in the film: Lee sat us down and made us wallow in the misery of the poor residents and the incompetence and inattention of the government at all levels, from Bush on down. The movie fully and graphically explored the horror of the catastrophe and introduced us to a diverse cast of characters, giving us a real feel for at least one section of New Orleans life. There is another side to the story–perhaps several other sides–but a rounded picture was not Lee’s goal. Instead, he has shown us a picture that, more than anything I’ve seen so far, sets up the two Americas and explains the racial turmoil we’re living through today.