"Don't Be Nice" Movie Review
Words are powerful. And when paired with strong, fierce delivery and provocative body language, the effect words can have on the people that hear them…and the people that speak them…is profound.
This is what slam poetry is about, and the documentary Don’t Be Nice follows five poets under the mentorship of two slam veterans. They are challenged to dig deep and bring forth their life experiences, their worldviews, their pains…their truths…on the road to a national slam poetry competition.
The talent of these young poets cannot be overstated, and the documentary does a phenomenal job showing the struggles the poets have as portions of a functional team and as minority individuals living in an unfair world. The team is pushed into beautifully uncomfortable territory that manifests into compelling, meaningful, hard-hitting slam performances.
With social issues, race, and the struggles of blackness in America fueling the motivations of the featured poets, there’s much to reflect on, process, and discuss after the credits roll. This is a must see documentary, and afterward, if there are things your fellow audience members are laughing at that you don’t get…Google it.
Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?