John Boyega is a rising star and is truly iconic in his role in the 2017 movie Detroit. The film has had a lot of hype in the film world, so unsurprisingly the expectations are high.
The crime drama exemplifies police brutality against young black people in the 1970’s. It follows an aspiring R&B group The Dramatics in their quest to obtain a record deal and the various struggles they face on the way.
The film focuses on a controversial and undeniably important issue still in modern day. Detroit depicts the 1967 riots which actually took place, and emphasises the harsh, self-serving nature of the police force. The film denotes discrimination, violence and justice. To deal with such important topics, you need actors who are going to really help get the message across.
Despite the film’s weak box office return, Detroit was met with very positive feedback from critics. A true asset to the film is undeniably the acting of uprising star, John Boyega. Boyega rose to stardom after his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).
A majority of the critics have praised Boyega’s acting. He is being considered for nomination in the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ category, and he most definitely deserves it.
Boyega’s role in the film is a security guard who becomes an unwilling witness of the violent riot that takes place. The way in which he portrays his sense of conflict is extremely convincing and encompasses the extreme moral issues surrounding the themes presented in the film. Detroit is to be re-released with the hope that it will receive more commercial attention, and it’s definitely something everyone should consider watching.