I was blown away by The Mack. I did not expect to see such a straightforward drama from a film that has been referenced by so many gangsta rappers. It stands out from all other blaxploitation films I’ve seen that almost always have a sense of ironic humor. This film instead goes for almost pure realism that is ambivalent towards Goldie’s actions. There are montage scenes that look almost like modern rap music videos in their indulgence in excess contrasted with scenes of grim, unembellished scenes of violence and some of the most misogynistic dialogue you’ll ever hear. The condemnation of this type of lifestyle is not groundbreaking but this film demonstrates a self-awareness I have not seen in any other blaxploitation film. It understands the importance of Black people to feel empowered while also remaining skeptical of the paths to empowerment that have been presented to Black youth. It’s far from didactic, which I appreciate. Instead, it presents many of the arguments in the Black community in a surprisingly nuanced way that demonstrates empathy for Goldie while also showing the devastating consequences of his actions. This is all underscored by Juanita Moore’s performance as Goldie’s mother. In the few scenes where she’s featured, she commands the screen with her powerfully melodramatic performance that rivals her performance in Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life. Her performance takes us through the emotional stages of the film that starts with desperation, later transformed into momentary elation that is inevitably cut short by tragedy.
I was blown away by The Mack. I did not expect to see such a straightforward drama from a film that has been referenced by so many gangsta rappers. It stands out from all other blaxploitation films I’ve seen that almost always have a sense of ironic humor. This film instead goes for almost pure realism that is ambivalent towards Goldie’s actions. There are montage scenes that look almost like modern rap music videos in their indulgence in excess contrasted with scenes of grim, unembellished scenes of violence and some of the most misogynistic dialogue you’ll ever hear. The condemnation of this type of lifestyle is not groundbreaking but this film demonstrates a self-awareness I have not seen in any other blaxploitation film. It understands the importance of Black people to feel empowered while also remaining skeptical of the paths to empowerment that have been presented to Black youth. It’s far from didactic, which I appreciate. Instead, it presents many of the arguments in the Black community in a surprisingly nuanced way that demonstrates empathy for Goldie while also showing the devastating consequences of his actions. This is all underscored by Juanita Moore’s performance as Goldie’s mother. In the few scenes where she’s featured, she commands the screen with her powerfully melodramatic performance that rivals her performance in Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life. Her performance takes us through the emotional stages of the film that starts with desperation, later transformed into momentary elation that is inevitably cut short by tragedy.
