Black or White (film) explained
Black or White is a 2014 American drama film written and directed by Mike Binder. The film stars Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer, Jillian Estell, Bill Burr, Jennifer Ehle, André Holland, Gillian Jacobs and Anthony Mackie. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in the United States on January 30, 2015.
Premise
Elliot Anderson is widowed after a car crash leads to the death of his wife. At the funeral, Rowena, his granddaughter Eloise's paternal grandmother, offers to care for Eloise, but Elliot angrily declines.
Elliot raises his granddaughter as he struggles with his grief by binge-drinking. Elliot's world is turned upside-down when Rowena demands that Eloise be brought under the care of her father Reggie, Rowena's son, who is addicted to drugs and whom Elliot blames for the negligence that led to the pregnancy and death of his own daughter.
Elliot soon finds himself deeply entrenched in a custody battle and will stop at nothing to keep his granddaughter from coming under the watch of her reckless father.
Production
On September 25, 2014, Open Road Films was in talks to acquire the US distribution rights to the film.[3] On October 17, Relativity Media acquired the US rights to the film.[4]
A thousand girls auditioned for the part of Eloise.[5]
Costner financed the film using his own money.
Post production
Principal photography of the film began on July 15, 2013, in New Orleans[6] with the filming lasting for five weeks.[7] [8]
Release
Relativity planned to release the film in time to qualify for the Oscar race, starting with a limited release on December 3, 2014, then opening wide on January 30, 2015.[9] [10]
Home media
Black or White was released on Blu-ray and DVD on May 5, 2015.[11]
Reception
Box office
Black or White grossed $21.6 million in North America against a budget of $9 million.[2]
In its opening weekend of January 30, 2015, the film made a gross of $2.3 million on Friday, $3 million on Saturday and $986,312 on Sunday for a weekend total of $6.2 million, playing in 1,823 with a per-theater average of $3,408 and ranking #4.[12]
Critical response
Black or White received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 39% rating, based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 5.19/10. The website's consensus reads: "Black or White has more on its mind than your average family drama, but the film's approach to its thought-provoking themes too often lives down to its title."[13] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 45 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[15]
Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Black and White never panders too easily to sentiments, creating characters who are riddled with flaws but likeable all the same."[16] Scott Foundas of Variety praised Costner for his performance, calling it "some of the finest, most deeply felt work of his career" but was critical of the film "this well-intentioned family drama never quite shakes free from its didactic, movie-of-the-week dramaturgy and a hand-holding approach to race-relations."[17]
Notes and References
- Web site: Costner-led 'Black or White' gets local release date . Hinds . Julie . December 9, 2014 . . January 1, 2015 . March 3, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210134/http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/movies/julie-hinds/2014/12/09/movie-mike-binder-black-white-release-date/20148327/ . live .
- Web site: Black or White (2015) . IMDB . . March 9, 2022 . June 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180605034237/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blackorwhite.htm . live .
- News: Siegel. Tatiana. Toronto: Open Road in Talks to Acquire Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer's 'Black and White'. September 26, 2014. hollywoodreporter.com. September 25, 2014. September 29, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140929033546/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/toronto-open-road-talks-acquire-735693. live.
- News: Fleming. Mike Jr.. Relativity Buys Kevin Costner-Starrer 'Black Or White'. October 18, 2014. deadline.com. October 17, 2014. October 19, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141019001902/http://deadline.com/2014/10/kevin-costner-black-or-white-relativity-oscar-race-853798/. live.
- Web site: January 7, 2015 . Hammond . Pete . Oscars: Kevin Costner Put His Heart – And Own Money – Into ‘Black Or White’ . Deadline Hollywood . March 30, 2022 . March 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331170645/https://deadline.com/2015/01/kevin-costner-black-or-white-interview-racial-drama-1201341514/ . live .
- News: Kevin Costner's 'Black and White' Ready to Start Shooting. July 18, 2013. mxdwn.com. July 12, 2013. July 15, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130715085445/http://movies.mxdwn.com/news/kevin-costners-black-and-white-ready-to-start-shooting/. live.
- News: 'Black and White,' starring Kevin Costner and Octavia Spencer, begins production in New Orleans. July 18, 2013. nola.com. July 15, 2013. July 18, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130718082012/http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2013/07/black_and_white_starring_kevin.html. live.
- News: Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer & Andre Holland shooting 'Black and White' in New Orleans. July 24, 2013. onlocationvacations.com. July 23, 2013. July 30, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130730004746/http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2013/07/23/kevin-costner-octavia-spencer-andre-holland-shooting-black-and-white-in-new-orleans/. live.
- Web site: Kevin Costner-Octavia Spencer Drama 'Black and White' Gets Oscar-Qualifying Run . Austin Siegemund-Broka . The Hollywood Reporter . It will run for one week in December, then will receive a platform release on January 23, 2015, and will expand on January 30. . November 6, 2014 . November 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141109083537/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kevin-costner-octavia-spencer-drama-746877? . live .
- Web site: December 7, 2014 . Johnson . Ted . PopPolitics: Kevin Costner on ‘Black or White,’ Ferguson and the Future (Listen) . . now in limited release . March 30, 2022 . March 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331171416/https://variety.com/2014/film/columns/poppolitics-kevin-costner-on-black-or-white-ferguson-and-the-future-listen-1201373267/ . live .
- Web site: Black or White. 2015. Dvdsreleasedates.com. March 25, 2015. April 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150401172504/http://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/7320/black-or-white. live.
- Web site: Black or White daily gross . IMDB . . February 18, 2015 . February 16, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150216013538/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=blackorwhite.htm . live .
- Web site: Black or White . . . May 10, 2019 . May 6, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240506194457/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_or_white . live .
- Web site: Black or White Reviews . . . February 3, 2015 . January 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230115090008/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/black-or-white . live .
- Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . ‘American Sniper’ Misses Super Bowl Record; Most Top 10 Films Off – Monday B.O. Actuals . Deadline Hollywood . February 3, 2015 . With an A- Cinemascore, the film saw a 32% uptick between Friday and Saturday. . March 30, 2022 . March 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331170649/https://deadline.com/2015/02/american-sniper-project-almanac-super-bowl-box-office-1201361696/ . live .
- Web site: September 6, 2014 . Mintzer . Jordan . ‘Black and White’: Toronto Review . . March 30, 2022 . March 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331170701/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/black-white-toronto-review-730733/ . live .
- Web site: September 12, 2014 . Foundas . Scott . Scott Foundas . Toronto Film Review: ‘Black and White’ . . March 30, 2022 . March 31, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220331171040/https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/toronto-film-review-black-and-white-1201304501/ . live .
